Recovery of neutron sources containing Pu{sup 239} and Be is currently taking place at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The program was initiated in 1979 by the Department of Energy (DOE) to dismantle and recover sources owned primarily by universities and the Department of Defense. Since the inception of this program, Los Alamos has dismantled and recovered more than 1000 sources. The dismantlement and recovery process involves the removal of source cladding and the chemical separation of the source materials to eliminate neutron emissions. While this program continues for the disposal of {sup 239}Pu/Be sources, there is currently no avenue for …
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Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
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New Mexico
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Recovery of neutron sources containing Pu{sup 239} and Be is currently taking place at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The program was initiated in 1979 by the Department of Energy (DOE) to dismantle and recover sources owned primarily by universities and the Department of Defense. Since the inception of this program, Los Alamos has dismantled and recovered more than 1000 sources. The dismantlement and recovery process involves the removal of source cladding and the chemical separation of the source materials to eliminate neutron emissions. While this program continues for the disposal of {sup 239}Pu/Be sources, there is currently no avenue for the disposition of any sources other than those containing Pu{sup 239}. Increasingly, there have been demands from agencies both inside and outside the Federal Government and from the public to dispose of unwanted sources containing {sup 238}Pu/Be and {sup 241}Am/Be. DOE is attempting to establish a formal program to recover these sources and is working closely with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on a proposed Memorandum of Understanding to formalize an Acceptance Program. In the absence of a formal program to handle {sup 238}Pu/Be and {sup 241}Am/Be neutron sources, Los Alamos has responded to several emergency requests to receive and recover sources that have been determined to be a threat to public health and safety. This presentation will: (1) review the established {sup 239}Pu neutron source recovery program at Los Alamos, (2) detail plans for a more extensive neutron source disposal program, and (3) focus on recent emergency responses.
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Dinehart, S. M.; Hatler, V. A.; Gray, D. W. & Guillen, A. D.Radioactive source recovery program responses to neutron source emergencies,
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April 1, 1997;
New Mexico.
(https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc676191/:
accessed April 23, 2024),
University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu;
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