A Vienna conference on preventing the use of a “dirty bomb” called yesterday for tighter controls on radioactive sources worldwide and new international efforts to make the search for radioactive material easier (see GSN, March 11).

“High-risk radioactive sources that are not under secure and regulated control, including so-called ‘orphan’ sources, raise serious security and safety concerns,” the International Conference on Security of Radioactive Sources announced yesterday.  Over 700 delegates from more than 120 countries attended the meeting (International Atomic Energy Agency release, March 13).

In its findings, the conference supported “the pooling of resources by states — e.g., through the sharing of monitoring and detection equipment on common borders” and the continued “development of the IAEA illicit trafficking database.”

The findings called for developing members of the conference to receive help “in establishing sustainable radiation protection infrastructures.”

The conference supported the formal endorsement of the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources.  That document is being revised to account for current concerns (David McGlinchey, Global Security Newswire, March 14).

Delegates also encouraged states to develop action plans to locate and recover radioactive sources, strengthen existing measures to stop trafficking, push public awareness campaigns and improve current agreements that attempt to address the problem, according to the IAEA.

“There are millions of radiological sources used throughout the world.  Most are very weak.  What we are focusing on is preventing the theft or loss of control of the powerful radiological sources,” IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said (IAEA release, March 13).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top