JAMAICAN officials have sought to allay public safety concerns as the country moves to advance its nuclear adoption, telling a technology conference Tuesday that there will be minimum risk to human health and the environment as the island looks at diversifying its energy mix and exploring applications in other areas such as agriculture and healthcare.

The Andrew Holness Administration last week signed a memorandum of understanding with Atomic Energy of Canada and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories for the advancement of nuclear technologies adoption in Jamaica.

However, the announcement raised fears among some Jamaicans over the potential danger associated with nuclear energy, primarily the possibility of an uncontrolled release of radioactive material.

Addressing the Scientific Research Council’s 31st National Science and Technology Conference on Tuesday, Dr Cliff Riley, director general of Jamaica’s Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority (HSRA), stressed that nuclear is “not new” to the island, noting the country has been using the technology in medicine and other areas — through the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS) — for more than four decades.

According to the HSRA head, the country has “a very robust regulatory programme” that covers everything related to ionising radiation.

“We have been utilising nuclear material for over 40 years now and we have had no accidents because it is not just a matter of monitoring or implementing systems and strategies locally but we are also bound to international obligations,” Dr Riley said during a panel discussion at the four-day conference being held at Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

“There are a number of conventions that we have signed as a country and there are a number of international agreements which we must abide by, and those agreements cover every single thing down to tracking every milligram of nuclear material in this country,” he added.

Dr Riley outlined that there are 474 facilities that utilise ionising radiation materials in their operations across Jamaica, while there are more than 1,700 ionising radiation sources.

He said the HSRA has put systems in place to regulate the various entities that are using ionising radiation sources, while ensuring the safety and reduction of unintended exposure to the different forms of this radiation.

“With Jamaica moving to other spaces in terms of deploying nuclear technology in other areas, we can assure the public that we have the technical competence and expertise, the history in terms of use, knowledge in terms of team members and the competence and international partnerships to ensure that these technologies are effectively deployed and are used for the intended use with minimal risk exposure to our people, environment, as well as our properties,” Dr Riley said.

Addressing concerns about radioactive waste, Dr Riley noted that legislations in Jamaica only allow for short-term storage in the country.

“All of the guidelines in terms of the management of radioactive waste is repatriation. All materials that have entered Jamaica since 2015 has to be repatriated,” he said, adding “The existing regulations do not allow for long-term storage and I am sure the necessary modifications to legislation later on will not allow for long-term storage.”

While highlighting the “transformative potential” of nuclear technology to Jamaica’s developmental goals, Science and Technology Minister Daryl Vaz noted that the responsible use of the technology will be prioritised.

“Nuclear technology, often viewed through the lens of its challenges and controversies, holds the key to transformative potential in energy production, medical advancements and scientific research. Its responsible application presents a powerful case for its role in our sustainable development strategies,” Vaz said in his keynote address at the conference.

“As we explore the potential of nuclear technology, it is imperative to approach it with the utmost care, ensuring safety and environmental stewardship. Robust regulatory frameworks, transparent practices, and ongoing dialogue with communities are essential to fostering trust and ensuring that nuclear applications contribute positively to society,” Minister Vaz said.

In the meantime, one international expert suggested that nuclear power may be the safest energy system in the world.

“We conveniently ignore all the mining associated with the destruction of the environment and all the deaths associated. When you look at the deaths associated with nuclear power and the deaths associated with any other power system, most people would be amazed to know that the differences are not in the tens or hundreds, it’s thousands and tens of thousands of a difference,” Dr Taj S Mattu, technical and commercial director of UK-based Thermachange, said during a panel discussion.

“Nuclear has probably been the safest energy system that man has ever experienced,” he said.

The Science and Technology Conference is being held under the theme ‘Harmony in Innovation: Unleashing the Power of Nuclear Applications for Sustainable Development’.

According to the SRC, this year’s event aims to spotlight the transformative potential of nuclear science and technology in advancing Jamaica’s sustainable development goals, exploring critical applications in agriculture, healthcare, energy, and industrial development, demonstrating how these innovations can drive national growth and resilience.

“As a small island developing state, we face unique challenges in energy, agriculture, and healthcare, all areas where nuclear technology can play a transformative role. With global conversations on nuclear energy advancing and the Jamaican Government’s mandate to explore alternative solutions, it is essential that we, as a nation, have informed discourse on how nuclear applications can support sustainable development goals,” SRC Executive Director Dr Charah Watson said.