Based on the recommendations of the Radiation Protection Commission, the regional councils in Baden-Württemberg are planning protective measures for the population in order to be prepared for a possible nuclear accident. One of these protective measures is so-called iodine prophylaxis - iodine blockade of the thyroid gland with special iodine tablets: If radioactive iodine escapes from a nuclear power plant in the event of a serious accident, this iodine can be absorbed by the body through inhalation and stored in the thyroid gland. To protect people in the unlikely event of such an accident, the disaster control authorities are planning to distribute special iodine tablets that prevent radioactive iodine from being stored in the thyroid gland. If iodine tablets are taken in good time, the thyroid gland is already saturated with non-radioactive iodine before radioactive iodine can be absorbed through inhalation. This protects against an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer. "The implementation of iodine prophylaxis is an important step towards protecting the population," says District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier.
The federal government's procurement process for new iodine tablets has been underway since the beginning of the year in order to replace the existing stocks. Around 12.9 million iodine tablets are planned for the administrative district of Stuttgart, which will be distributed to the urban and rural districts based on population figures. Possible additional requirements for people who are only staying in the municipalities temporarily, for example commuters, students or tourists, are also taken into account in the planning.
In future, the iodine tablets will be stored locally and decentrally throughout the administrative district in order to shorten the provision process and the distribution of iodine tablets to the population in case of need.
Since the first week of August, batches of iodine tablets have been delivered to the urban and rural districts in the administrative district of Stuttgart. For logistical reasons, delivery and distribution in the administrative district takes place over a period of four weeks. Only when the iodine tablets for the population have arrived in the urban and rural districts in the administrative district as planned will the old stocks be destroyed.
One nuclear power plant, the EnBW Neckarwestheim joint nuclear power plant (GKN II), is currently still in operation in the administrative district of Stuttgart.
Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety at https://www.jodblockade.de/.
