Ministry, EU discuss management of chemical and associated wastes
THE National Authority for the Prohibition of Chemical, Nuclear, Biological and Radiological Weapons (NACW ) at the Ministry of National Defence and the EU have co-organised a 12-day workshop for 205 trainees from 29 institutions.
The workshop focuses on training participants on the Sound Management of Chemicals and their Associated Wastes in Southeast Asia (Seachem).
According to Fresh News, NACW secretary-general Phorn Nara and Project 61 team leader Andrew Proudlove officiated the opening of the workshop on November 18.
Project 61 is an EU-funded project which covers the Asean region. Its purpose is to address any outstanding chemical safety and security issues in areas of legislation or regulation, prevention, detection, preparedness and response.
In its Facebook post, NACW announced that Nara attended the opening ceremony on behalf of Minister of National Defence Tea Banh on Tuesday. However, The Post could not reach Nara or Ministry of National Defence spokesman Chhum Socheat for comment.
NACW deputy secretary-general Pen Bunnary also could not comment as he was indisposed when the workshop’s opening was held.
Fresh News reported that the specialists came from the UK Department of Health, International Security and Emergency Management Institute of the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic and the EU-affiliated Sustainable Criminal Justice Solutions.
Fresh News quoted Nara as saying that the national-level workshop had been divided into five categories of training. “The first category is about increasing the skills, preparedness, response [time] and restoration of chemical weapon substances.
“Second, it is to increase the capability of properly managing incidents, terrorism and crimes of chemical weapon substances, biology and radiology and nuclear.
“Third is to train them in the know-how to use exploration tools and experiences of chemical weapon substances, biology, radiology and nuclear.
“Fourth, it is the clearance and washing of chemical weapon substances, biology and radiology and nuclear. Fifth is ways of choosing samples, identifying and managing risks of chemical weapon substances, biology and radiology and nuclear;
“And sixth it is the transportation, maintenance, safety protection of chemicals, biology and radiology and nuclear in the warehouse,” Fresh News reported.
Nara also reiterated that chemical weapons, as well as nuclear, biological, radiological and chemical substance threats remain a complex problem that is difficult to manage.