Sustaining Progress in Cradle-to-Grave Management: IAEA Helps Slovenia Build Human Capacity

Protecting people and the environment from radiation risks means ensuring safety in the use of radioactive sources and in the operations of related facilities. Within the framework of an ongoing interregional technical cooperation project, the IAEA is helping Slovenia improve its national capacities for disused sealed radioactive source (DSRS) management.

At a training course held from 20 to 24 November 2017 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, IAEA experts provided technical assistance and advice in dismantling and repacking disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRS) to 12 professionals from the Slovenian Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (ARAO) and the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA). In total, 58 category 3-5 DSRS in 38 devices were conditioned during the training sessions. The new packages will be safely and securely stored until Slovenia implements an end-of-life solution.

Thanks to the IAEA’s support, the ARAO was granted a license to condition category 3-5 DSRS. Sandi Virsek, the ARAO’s Acting Director, remarked “After years of experience in handling institutional radioactive waste and as a result of this training, Slovenia is now able to conduct all operations associated with the management of DSRS.”