Key Issues
Ensuring the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources
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Protecting the Public With Safety-Focused Regulation
The industry believes that safety is the key measure that should govern all radioactive materials regulation. Such an approach establishes controls on radioactive materials based on the potential for security risks and, if used improperly, detrimental health effects of a given material. Stricter controls are placed on materials as required. For example, controls placed on the trivial amount of radioactivity in smoke detectors need not be as stringent as those on the more radioactive sources used to sterilize medical equipment.
The NRC’s wide-ranging regulatory framework effectively governs radioactive materials, including both sealed sources—radioactive materials encapsulated for their specific application—and unsealed sources. The framework focuses on enhancing regulation of those sources that, if intentionally misused, truly could affect safety. The agency has successfully applied these “safety-focused” principles in its oversight of nuclear reactors, a proven model.
The NRC licenses and monitors the use of radioactive materials and had undertaken steps to enhance this program prior to Sept. 11, 2001. The industry believes these steps were warranted and, given the current concerns with the potential safety threat posed by radioactive materials if used improperly, the industry supports the additional enhancements. These include such features as a national registry system and more stringent programs to ensure the proper handling, transfer between licensees and disposal of radioactive sources.
The NRC also is operating under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy and individual states to provide a means for the recovery, storage and disposal of radioactive materials that have no identifiable owner. These materials include those abandoned by a company—either because the company no longer maintains the material or because the company has not sent it away for proper storage or disposal. The program has been successful; however, the industry believes Congress should appropriate more resources for this important program.
Safety-Based Classification
The industry supported the development of a classification system for radiation sources based on safety considerations as an essential part of a program to enhance security. This classification system established proper levels of control, monitoring and registration, based on each material’s potential health and security risks. The materials with the most risks have the highest level of control, and materials with reduced risks have fewer controls.
This system is based on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources. The Code of Conduct has served as the basis for enhanced requirements on the tracking, monitoring, transfer, and import and export of radioactive sources.
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Viewpoints on Nuclear Energy
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An eight-minute, streaming audio-video clip presenting the security measures in effect at nuclear power plants, including a regimen of armed guards, patrols, detection equipment, and physical barriers, as well as the design of the plant itself.
