Poland Alternative Technology Program Implementation

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Radiological Security (ORS) cooperates with partner countries throughout the world to enhance the security of radioactive sources. High activity cesium-137 is the primary isotope used to irradiate blood for the prevention of Transfusion Associated Graft versus Host disease (TA-GvHD). This high activity cesium-137 also presents a danger to the public with the threat of it being used for a Radiological Dispersion Device. The cesium-137 at public institutions may be accidentally released or stolen and later used in an act of terrorism. Sites that have cesium-137 devices face the dilemma of providing security for the device or switching to newer X-ray technology. ORS is helping institutions with this dilemma by providing X-ray technology as part of its Alternative Technology Program instead of continued security. ORS has worked with Poland on this program. ORS’s partner in Poland for this program is the Polish Radioactive Waste Management Plant (Zaklad Unieszkodliwiania Odpadow Promieniotworczych -ZUOP). There’s a compelling business case to be made for facilities in Poland to switch to alternative technologies (i.e. X-ray) for financial reasons. Cesium device procurement costs are similar to an X-ray device. End-of-life disposition costs need to be considered. The costs of a security system also need to be factored in to operating and maintaining a cesium-137 device. A security system is not required when using a non-isotopic device such as an X-ray irradiator. Removing the cesium-137 device also reduces the risk of theft or accident with the radiological device. Permanent source reduction is a preferred method to reduce the risk of a radiological terror incident. The first facility in Poland to volunteer and transition to alternative technology recently completed the replacement and removal process. The installation of an X-ray device and corresponding removal to final storage for the cesium device took two years between planning and execution. The cesium-137 blood irradiator was moved to ZUOP’s storage facility for high-level radioactive sources at Otwock - Swierk in late 2020 for permanent storage. Other sites in Poland are currently planned or in process with their replacements and radioactive source removals.