Nuclear Experts Meet to Secure Radioactive Sources

VIENNA, Austria, March 12, 2003 (ENS) - There is an urgent need to strengthen security against nuclear and radiological terrorism, said the three leaders responsible for atomic energy in the United States, Russia and the United Nations. They were speaking at the International Conference on Radiation Security which opened here Monday where some 600 experts from 110 countries are surveying the global situation.

Briefing journalists Tuesday, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei all said the control of high risk radioactive sources is their top priority. The United Nations agency responsible for nuclear safety and security, the IAEA now has 134 countries as members and is hosting the radiation security conference at its headquarters in Vienna.

(From left) Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev, IAEA Director-General Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham address reporters in Vienna. (Photo courtesy IAEA)

Under the agreements, the United States will provide support to the Russian Federation for provision of replacement fossil energy plants because, as well as producing plutonium, these reactors provide heat and electricity to the two cities. The three reactors will continue to operate until the fossil replacement plants are completed and begin operations.

"This is an important step in advancing our nonproliferation programs between the United States and Russia," Abraham said. "Replacing these reactors with fossil fuel energy is critical in eliminating the production of weapons grade plutonium in Russia and closing these facilities. Russia and the United States have enjoyed a good relationship. Minister Rumyantsev is an able partner and I appreciate his effective leadership."

The new agreement will allow for implementation of the Elimination of Weapons Grade Plutonium Production Program, a cooperative effort between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Russian Ministry of Atomic Energy.

The documents signed today detail the rights and responsibilities of each country regarding the construction and refurbishment of the fossil fuel plants. In Seversk, an existing fossil fuel plant will be modernized. In Zheleznogorsk, the construction of a new facility will be required. The Russian Federation will be responsible for the shutdown and decommissioning of the three existing nuclear reactors.

Improving control of radioactive sources, such as those used in medicine and industry, is a key focus for conference participants. Dr. ElBaradei said the IAEA is aware of a number of powerful radiological sources outside of regulatory control, which the agency is working to recover. There are fears that these uncontrolled radioactive sources could be used by terrorists as radiological dispersal devices, or so called "dirty bombs," he said.

Global concerns about the security and safety of radioactive sources escalated following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the New York and Washington, DC.

“Source security has taken on a new urgency since 9/11,” Dr. ElBaradei said. There are millions of radiological sources used throughout the world. Most are very weak, and would have little impact. What we are focusing on is preventing the theft or loss of control of the powerful radiological sources."

To help strengthen global security of high risk radioactive sources, Secretary Abraham announced that the United States will channel $3 million though the IAEA to support ongoing efforts to help developing countries secure unprotected or orphaned radioactive sources in a new Radiological Security Partnership initiative.

Among other measures, the initiative provides $15 million to prevent illegal trafficking in high risk radioactive sources globally, by focusing on high traffic transit and shipping centers.

Minister Rumyantsev said the security and safety of radioactive sources is one of the highest priorities for Russia. “Following the disintegration of the USSR, we have lost the possibility for legal recourse for radiological sources outside of Russia," he said.

The first IAEA emergency assistance team to the former USSR republic of Georgia in the late 1990s. The team recovered and secured caesium, cobalt, and radium sources. (Photo courtesy IAEA)

"At present there is no proof and reliable data on illegal trafficking of radioactive materials, as well as of the cases of radioactive blackmail," Rumyantsev said. He cited IAEA information showing that since 1993, 201 cases of radioactive sources illegal sales have been registered, including those used in medicine and industry.

In June 2002, the IAEA, the U.S. and Russia established a tripartite working group to locate, recover, secure and recycle orphan radiological sources in the former Soviet Union.

A dirty bomb contains radioactive material, but does not use that material to produce a nuclear explosion, as does a nuclear weapon, the IAEA explains. Constructed of conventional explosives and radioactive material, detonation of such a bomb would result in the dispersion of the radioactive material. People in the immediate vicinity could be killed or injured by the blast and could be explosed to radiation.

The level of exposure, says the IAEA, would depend on factors such as the physical and chemical form of the radioactive material, size and type of explosive and proximity of persons to the blast. "What is more likely is that persons could be exposed to low levels of radiation that would slightly increase their risk of cancer in the long term," the agency says. "Other effects of a dirty bomb could include the social disruption associated with the evacuation, the subsequent cleanup of contaminated property and the associated economic costs."

The IAEA has been involved in numerous efforts in countries throughout the world to help secure high risk radioactive sources. Further efforts are under way as part of the Agency’s comprehensive Action Plan for combating nuclear terrorism, the fund for which has grown to more than $12 million.