GLOBAL THREAT REDUCTION INITIATIVEOFF-SITE SOURCE RECOVERY PROJECT

ORGANIZATION OF AGREEMENT STATES ANNUAL MEETINGAUGUST 2012

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GTRI Mission

Mission: Reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and radiological material located at civilian sites worldwide

Goals:Convert research reactors and isotope production facilities from

HEU to LEU (permanent threat reduction)

Remove and dispose of excess nuclear and radiological materials (permanent threat reduction)

Protect high priority nuclear and radiological materials from theft and sabotage

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Missio n

r ed u c e an d pr o t ec t vu l n er abl e n u c l earan d r ad io l o g ic al mat er ia l l o c at ed at c iv i l ian si t es w o r l d w id e.

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Off-Site Source Recovery Project (OSRP)

Every year, thousands of sources become disused and unwanted in the United States.

Licensees in many states do not have commercial disposal access.

While secure storage is a temporary measure, the longer sources remain disused or unwanted the chances increase that they will become unsecured or abandoned. Thus, permanent disposal is essential.

OSRP - http://osrp.lanl.gov/ To date, GTRI has recovered over 30,000 sources totaling over 839,000 Ci

GTRI primarily recovers Cs-137, Co-60, Sr-90, Am-241, Pu-238, Pu-239, Ra-226

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Sealed Source Disposal Outreach and Collaboration Timeline

2008 to 2010 – Removal and Disposition of Disused Sources (RDDS) Focus Group2008 – Concerns raised by industry and government regarding disused sealed sources after closure of Barnwell2009 – DHS public-private Nuclear Government and Sector Coordinating Councils (NGCC/NSCC) create Removal and Disposition of Disused Sources (RDDS) Focus Group to develop problem statement, findings, recommendations, and a messaging strategy. Focus Group consisted of more than 40 participants from Federal and State government organizations, low-

level waste (LLW) compact commissions, and industry

2009 - 2010 - Findings and recommendations presented in two deliverables: Sealed Source Disposal and National Security: Problem Statement and Solution Set, December 9, 2009 and Sealed Source Disposal and National Security: Recommendations and Messaging Strategy, June 30, 2010.

2010 NRC Task Force Report highlights Focus Group reports and urges continued collaboration

2011 – Low-Level Waste Forum Disused Sources Working Group (DSWG) DSWG comprised of compact representatives from both sited and non-sited states and funded by NNSA

NNSA/GTRI role is to encourage and facilitate group proceedings, share information, provide point of contact for Federal interagency participation.

DSWG mission is to consider the potential of both the front-end and back-end solutions to the problem of disused sealed sources

The group will report back to the LLW Forum's Board of Directors and NNSA with its findings, including (but not limited to) potential action items and recommendations.

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Radiation Source Protection and Security (RSPS) Task Force

Radiation Source Protection and Security (RSPS) Task Force– Established of the Energy Policy Act of 2005– Chaired by NRC with representatives from 14 Federal agencies and 2 State organizations (OAS

and CRCPD)– Reports to Congress and the President on progress in sealed source security every four years

• Next Task Force Report due in 2014 2010 Task Force Report – Conclusions and Recommendations

“By far the most significant challenge identified is access to disposal for disused radioactive sources.” (p.iii)

“Continued coordinated effort is needed to make sure that comprehensive, sustainable disposal pathways for all disused sealed sources are developed in the interest of national security.” (p.iii)

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2010 Task Force - Sealed Source Security and Disposal Recommendations 2010 - 4 The Task Force recommends that the U.S. Government, regional compacts, and States continue to evaluate

disposal options for disused radioactive sources, including options for handling a potentially large number of disused cesium chloride sources that may be replaced once viable alternatives are available.

2010 - 5 The Task Force recommends that Federal and State Governments investigate options such as providing short-term secured storage of sources recovered fromU.S. owners that contain foreign-origin americium-241 radioactive material, so that these sources can be recovered now, and increase efforts to investigate options for disposal of these sources.

2010 - 6 The Task Force recommends that the NRC incorporate procedures to review the status, such as the date of, the reason for, and location of sources in long-term storage, in the current inspection program.

2010 - 7 The Task Force recommends that the U.S. Government, in collaboration with responsible State agencies, evaluate and develop a plan to improve, as necessary, processes for dealing with unwanted, abandoned, or impounded sources, including storage, reuse, recycling, or other disposition methods.

Clive and WCS Disposal Options

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Information on the Source Collection and Threat Reduction (SCATR) Collection of Certain “Class A” Sealed Sources for Disposal at the Energy Solutions Clive, UT Facility

Information on the Source Collection and Threat Reduction (SCATR) Collection of Sealed Sources for Disposal at the Waste Control Specialists Andrews, TX Facility

Type B Containers

435 BUnshielded, leak-tight container designed for use with IAEA LTSS.• Design Parameters

– Weight: 3,500 lbs (payload, shoring and inner container, etc.)– Cavity: 36 x 56– 12,970 Ci Co-60 pending approval of CoC– 14,000 Ci Cs-137 pending approval of CoC

• SAR is ready for submission to NRC.

380 SB “Big B”Shielded transport container designed for shipping irradiating devices that are not certified payload in any other container and documentation (QA) is not available.• Design Parameters

– 110,000 lbs gross vehicle weight– 10,000 lbs payload– 15,000 Ci of Co-60– 40,000 Ci of Cs-137

• The conceptual design will be completed in October.• Proposal for detailed design and certification has been approved.

10-160BWill be used for Cs shipments up to 2,200 curies. Additional contents will be addressed with the use of both ANL and SNL disposal liners.

Questions and GTRI Contacts

Questions?

Abigail Cuthbertson

abigail.cuthbertson@nnsa.doe.gov

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