Global Cesium Security Initiative – A Comprehensive Approach to Cesium Security

The U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration's Office of Radiological Security (ORS) cooperates with partner countries throughout the world to enhance the security of radioactive sources used for legitimate purposes. According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS), Committee on Radiation Source Replacement, "Cesium-137 in the form of cesium chloride is a greater concern than other radiation sources based on its dispersibility and its presence in population centers across the country." Cs-137 is a radioisotope produced in nuclear reactors that is used worldwide in medical, industrial, and research applications, which provide great benefits to society; however, cesium sources are high priority in terms of potential use in an act of radiological terrorism. The Office of Radiological Security (ORS) has successfully partnered with countries and facilities worldwide, many of which use cesium-137 (Cs-137) and its common commercial form of cesium chloride (CsCl), to complete traditional security enhancements. To combat the increased threat of cesium-based devices, ORS has launched the Global Cesium Security Initiative (GCSI) to expand and accelerate its efforts to enhance the security of high activity Cs-137 sources. The Initiative is intended to provide a comprehensive approach to security for Cs-137 based devices for medical, research, and industrial applications whether they are in use, in storage, or in transport, and addresses all three technical pillars of the ORS program - Protect, Remove, and Reduce. Protect efforts focus on completing follow-on site security enhancements and implementing additional measures, such as security-by-design and response planning, required to successfully implement a containment protection strategy at sites that store or use Cs-137. Remove actions include removal of disused Cs-137 sources from sites either to a secure consolidated storage location or repatriation for disposition of those sources. This may also include considerations for the recycle and reuse of decommissioned sources. Reduce efforts aim to support the transition from Cs-137 based devices and how we can support the transition to alternative non-radioisotopic technologies, where feasible. This paper will identify a prioritized and comprehensive approach for protecting high activity Cs-137 sources/devices using additional Protection strategies, Removal efforts or Reducing the threat through the use of alternative technologies when available and feasible. The discussion will highlight lessons learned from ongoing cooperation and past deployments, and provide insight from industry experts who have been involved in the Protection, Removal or Reduce (alternative technology replacement) of cesium devices. (author)