ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE GLOBAL THREAT REDUCTION INITIATIVE’S DOMESTIC RADIOLOGICAL THREAT REDUCTION PROGRAM

The U.S. Department of Energy recovers excess and unwanted radioactive sealed sources in the United States through its Offsite Source Recovery Project (OSRP). The OSRP is now included in the Department of Energy’s Global Threat Reduction Initiative announced in March 2004. The excess and unwanted sources being addressed by this effort consist of ten isotopes that either lack a permanent disposition path, or are considered to present high radiological security risks. This project recently topped the 15,000 mark for excess sealed sources recovered for safe and secure storage. These sources consisted mainly of americium-241 and plutonium-238. The program has expanded its efforts into additional radionuclides. Since 2004, the first substantial amounts of cobalt-60, cesium-137 and strontium-90 were recovered. In a specific action, cesium-137 irradiators were removed from numerous public schools and colleges. Most of these sources have been disposed of or recycled.