Strengthening Control Over Radioactive Sources in Authorized Use and Regaining Control Over Orphan Sources
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IAEA-TECDOC-1388 Strengthening control over radioactive sources in authorized use and regaining control over orphan sources National strategies February 2004 The originating Section of this publication in the IAEA was: Radiation and Transport Safety Section International Atomic Energy Agency Wagramer Strasse 5 P.O. Box 100 A-1400 Vienna, Austria STRENGTHENING CONTROL OVER RADIOACTIVE SOURCES IN AUTHORIZED USE AND REGAINING CONTROL OVER ORPHAN SOURCES IAEA, VIENNA, 2004 IAEA-TECDOC-1388 ISBN 92–0–100304–8 ISSN 1011–4289 © IAEA, 2004 Printed by the IAEA in Austria February 2004 FOREWORD An orphan source is a radioactive source that poses sufficient radiological hazard to warrant regulatory control, but which is not under regulatory control because it has never been so, or because it has been abandoned, lost, misplaced, stolen or otherwise transferred without proper authorization. A vulnerable source is one, which is currently under regulatory control, but its level of control is weak. It can be regarded as a source that could easily become orphaned. In recent years, orphan sources have caused multiple fatalities or serious injuries when unknowing individuals find them. This problem, along with concern that orphan or vulnerable sources might be acquired for malevolent purposes, has led many countries to consider making concerted efforts to improve control over them. This report provides a methodology as to how to do this. It is complementary to a number of other IAEA publications related to regulatory infrastructure, emergency response, security, illicit trafficking and border monitoring, and the management of disused sources. While the focus of this TECDOC is on the development and implementation of a remedial national plan of action, it is expected that the development of a plan will also identify existing weaknesses in national control of sources and highlight ways to prevent further sources becoming orphaned. The IAEA officer responsible for this report was B. Dodd of the Division of Radiation and Waste Safety. EDITORIAL NOTE The use of particular designations of countries or territories does not imply any judgement by the publisher, the IAEA, as to the legal status of such countries or territories, of their authorities and institutions or of the delimitation of their boundaries. The mention of names of specific companies or products (whether or not indicated as registered) does not imply any intention to infringe proprietary rights, nor should it be construed as an endorsement or recommendation on the part of the IAEA. CONTENTS PART I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................ 3 1.1. Background of the report............................................................................................. 3 1.1.1. IAEA Action Plan for the Safety and Security of Radiation Sources............ 3 1.1.2. IAEA Nuclear Security Plan of Activities..................................................... 4 1.2. Objectives..................................................................................................................... 5 1.3. Scope............................................................................................................................ 5 1.4. Structure....................................................................................................................... 6 1.4.1. Part I............................................................................................................... 6 1.4.2. Part II............................................................................................................. 6 1.5. Definitions.................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 2. THE NEED FOR NATIONAL STRATEGIES ............................................... 8 2.1. The problem................................................................................................................. 8 2.2. Causes of loss of control over radioactive sources ...................................................... 8 2.2.1. Root causes.................................................................................................. 10 2.2.2. Specific causes............................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 3. APPLICATIONS OF RADIOACTIVE SOURCES...................................... 12 3.1. Category 1 sources ..................................................................................................... 12 3.1.1. Radioisotopic thermoelectric generators...................................................... 12 3.1.2. Irradiators..................................................................................................... 13 3.1.3. Teletherapy devices..................................................................................... 14 3.2. Category 2 sources ..................................................................................................... 17 3.2.1. Industrial gamma radiography ..................................................................... 17 3.2.2. High/medium dose rate brachytherapy ........................................................ 18 3.2.3. Calibration facilities ..................................................................................... 20 3.3. Category 3 sources ..................................................................................................... 20 3.3.1. Fixed industrial gauges ................................................................................ 20 3.3.2. Well logging gauges..................................................................................... 22 3.3.3. Pacemakers .................................................................................................. 22 3.4. Category 4 sources ..................................................................................................... 23 3.4.1. Low dose-rate brachytherapy sources.......................................................... 23 3.4.2. Thickness/fill-level gauges .......................................................................... 23 3.4.3. Portable gauges ............................................................................................ 23 3.4.4. Bone densitometers...................................................................................... 24 3.4.5. Static eliminators......................................................................................... 24 3.5. Category 5 sources ..................................................................................................... 24 3.6. Special situations........................................................................................................ 25 3.6.1. Historical sources......................................................................................... 25 3.6.2. Research and academic uses ........................................................................ 26 3.6.3. Military uses................................................................................................. 27 PART II. PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A NATIONAL STRATEGY CHAPTER 4. OVERVIEW................................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER 5. ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM............................................... 33 5.1. Assessment overview................................................................................................. 33 5.1.1. Deciding on the scope.................................................................................. 33 5.1.2. Gathering specific national information ...................................................... 35 5.1.3. Evaluation of information gathered ............................................................. 36 5.2. Current and past degree of regulatory control ........................................................... 37 5.3. Quality of source inventory........................................................................................ 39 5.4. Types of use in the country........................................................................................ 42 5.5. Military uses and sites of conflict .............................................................................. 44 5.6. Legacy knowledge ..................................................................................................... 45 5.7. Import and export of sources ..................................................................................... 46 5.8. Intelligence on illicit trafficking ................................................................................ 48 5.9. Trading partners ......................................................................................................... 51 5.10. Metals recycling......................................................................................................... 52 5.11. Disused sources.......................................................................................................... 54 5.12. Known lost and found sources ................................................................................... 56 5.13. Security of sources ..................................................................................................... 56 CHAPTER 6. DEVELOPING THE NATIONAL STRATEGY .......................................... 58 6.1. Development of an action plan .................................................................................