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Tackling sustainable management of Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources


IAEA/ANSN International Workshop on "Sustainable Management of Disused Sealed Sources - Working towards Disposal", Chiang Mai, Thailand, January 12-16, 2009

Sealed radioactive sources are used to, among other things, diagnose and treat medical patients, inspect welds and protect stored crops. However, there is a safety and security risk associated with these sources which needs to be managed and maintained under regulatory control even once their useful life is over. The sustainable management of Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS) remains a challenge for many countries, as most DSRS have no final disposition route. Although a number of storage facilities have been recently built or renovated with physical protection upgrades allowing for improved control of DSRS, storage remains a necessary but intermediate step and there is no better option than disposal for long-term sustainability. In fact, disposal is generally recognized as a safer and more secure solution for all types of radioactive sources, with the possible exception of very short lived sources which are suitable for decay storage. Yet, the lack of licensed disposal facilities accepting long-lived DSRS is a worldwide issue and dedicated solutions must be developed and implemented.

John H. Rowat, Disposable Waste Safety Specialist at the IAEA, Dr. Somporn Chongkum, Executive Director of the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology and Jan-Marie Potier, Head of the Waste Technology Section at the IAEA, welcoming participants at the Sustainable Management of Disused Sealed Sources Workshop. (Photo: Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology)
John H. Rowat, Disposable Waste Safety Specialist at the IAEA, Dr. Somporn Chongkum, Executive Director of the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology and Jan-Marie Potier, Head of the Waste Technology Section at the IAEA, welcoming participants at the Sustainable Management of Disused Sealed Sources Workshop. (Photo: Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology)

In an effort to highlight these issues and promote the safe and secure management of DSRS, the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT), under the auspices of the Asian Nuclear Safety Network (ANSN), has hosted an International Workshop organized by the IAEA on Sustainable Management of Disused Sealed Radioactive Sources (DSRS) - Working toward Disposal in Chiang Mai, Thailand on the 12th-16th January. Some 80 managers and experts from 23 countries representing national programmes, regulatory bodies, international projects and implementing and source management organizations attended the workshop. The topics discussed covered the life cycle of disused sources with a special focus on long term management aspects, namely storage and disposal. Discussions centred on international cooperation, national policies and strategies for source management, storage and disposal and associated regulatory aspects.

International and IAEA experts participating in the Sustainable Management of Disused Sealed Sources Workshop in Thailand. (Photo: Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology)
International and IAEA experts participating in the Sustainable Management of Disused Sealed Sources Workshop in Thailand. (Photo: Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology)

Workshop participants acknowledged the IAEA efforts to strengthen the safety and security of DSRS and to support the upgrading of DSRS management infrastructure in Member States. The borehole disposal system known as "BOSS" (borehole disposal of sealed sources) was unanimously recognized as a mature concept which is ready for implementation in candidate Member States, in particular those where disused sources are prevailing in radioactive waste inventories. All workshop participants, including safety and security experts, identified it as a simple, flexible and cost-effective solution that provides for safety and security for all types of DSRS.

Broader and better coordinated international efforts to implement complete and integrated systems for "cradle to grave" management of SRS (i.e., including disposal) are essential moving forward and the IAEA is expected to play a leading role, coordinating efforts through the use of international instruments such as the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, the Import/Export Guidance and the Joint Convention on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management.


Related resources:

Workshop website

IAEA Waste Technology Section

SHARS: A Shared Solution for Risky Radioactive Sources

Information on Borehole disposal of Sealed Radioactive Sources

Control of Radiation Sources