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NRC Seeks Stricter Radioactive Source Reporting
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced last week that it has proposed expanding a national database of radioactive sources that could be used to manufacture radiological weapons (see GSN, July 12, 2007). If adopted, the measure would require a variety of industries to report on their production, use and disposal of all Category 3 and some Category 4 sources, materials which are not as dangerous as others but could nevertheless prove attractive to terrorists seeking to steal “dirty bomb” materials. The commission has estimated that 3,500 holders of the radioactive materials would be required to report on about 17,000 sources not currently covered by the National Source Tracking System. “The NRC considers Category 1 and 2 sources to be the most significant from a security perspective,” the commission said in an April 9 release. “Expanding the NSTS will guard against the possibility that a small number of Category 3 [or] 4 radioactive sources could be collected to form a Category 2 amount of radioactive material.” The sources covered would “include fixed industrial gauges (level gauges, conveyor gauges, thickness gauges, blast furnace gauges, dredger gauges, and pipe gauges); well-logging devices; medium- and low-dose-range brachytherapy; and certain radiography devices,” the release says. A 75-day public comment period will begin once the proposed rule is published in the Federal Register (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission release, April 9).
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