A Roadmap to Minimize and Eliminate Highly Enriched Uranium

Highly enriched uranium (HEU)—one of the key ingredients for nuclear weapons—is one of the most dangerous materials on the planet. Since 1992, the international community removed and eliminated thousands of kilograms of HEU, converted HEU-fueled reactors to use low-enriched uranium (LEU), and promoted the adoption of LEU alternatives for medical isotope production. Despite significant progress, the work to reduce—and ultimately eliminate—HEU is far from finished. This paper lays out a roadmap with five pathways to ending civilian HEU use and to beginning the necessary research and development to minimize and ultimately eliminate HEU for naval use, with specific recommendations that countries can undertake prior to the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit.