International plutonium management

There has been considerable concern expressed about the possibility of further proliferation of nuclear weapons that would arise if, as a result of the spread of reprocessing capacity or for other reasons, plutonium were to be stockpiled in a growing number of States, even if such stocks were subject to the current Agency safeguards procedures. The Agency completed an internal study early in 1977 on the possibility of establishing regional fuel cycle centres which would include reprocessing facilities, and possibly storage facilities as well. The Agency has also been working on an internal study focussing specifically on the matter of the IAEA exercising the authority granted in its Statute to require the deposit of excess plutonium and other special fissionable materials. Initially the Agency's international plutonium management study focussed on separated plutonium. However, the scope of the study was subsequently expanded to include the question of regional or international storage of spent fuel. It was recognized that many elements of an international plutonium management scheme would be relevant to the storage of spent fuel, although there would also be marked differences in the scale and nature of the problems involved.