Nationwide recovery of radioactive devices by Los Alamos National Lab hits major milestone

Two Los Alamos National Laboratory teams that travel nationwide recovering potentially harmful radioactive material from devices at hospitals, universities, and research facilities completed a momentous milestone in January — their 100th shipment of such material since the partnership began in 2019.

Since then, the teams have removed 190,023 curies — units of radioactivity — of material from across the United States in sealed sources, disposing of the material at Department of Energy facilities. These recovery and disposal missions enhance national security by preventing the material from being stolen, smuggled, and used in acts of terrorism.

"Since our first shipment three-and-a-half years ago, we've completed 100 shipments," said Wade Weyerman of Los Alamos’s Repository Science and Operations division, noting that safety is the team's top priority.

Reducing radiological risk

Leading these operations is the Lab's Mobile Loading Source Recovery Team, launched in 2019 as part of the Repository Science and Operations division, and the long-standing Off-Site Source Recovery Program (OSRP) in the Lab’s Nuclear Engineering and Nonproliferation division. Established in 1997 and expanded following the September 11 terrorist attacks, OSRP provides direction and oversight to the Recovery Team and receives funding from the Office of Radiological Security within the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration’s (DOE/NNSA).

"We're trying to reduce the amount of radioactive material in the public sphere that could be used in a dirty bomb," said Bill Stewart, program manager for OSRP.

One key device that has been the focus of recent removal efforts is the blood irradiator, which uses cesium-137 to treat donated blood, primarily by deactivating problematic cells, prior to transfusions. Removing these devices from facilities is part of the Office of Radiological Security's Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project, which also promotes the development and adoption of alternative technologies, such as X-ray devices and linear accelerators, via financial incentives for U.S. institutions.

"The collaboration between the Mobile Loading Source Recovery Team and OSRP is highly effective and successful as demonstrated by the completion of 100 shipments," said Doug Weaver, the Repository Science and Operations division leader. "The Recovery Team brings expertise in Type B packaging and operations, working closely with OSRP to ensure the successful removal of unwanted sealed radioactive sources."

First used in 2021, LANL’s 380-B package provides shielding from radiation during transport of sealed radioactive sources. The container was designed, tested, and certified with OSRP's expertise in response to a nationwide shortage of such containers.  This shortage had been a major impediment to the program's work.

Left: The blood irradiator removed from the University of California San Diego was placed into a container that provides shielding from radiation during transport. Right: Sealed radioactive sources are removed from the devices in a hot cell facility for interim storage before disposal. 

While some Recovery Team staff are stationed in the Lab's Carlsbad offices, others work in various locations across the country, then deploy to the sites in question when a recovery job begins. In addition to planning removals—which sometimes includes coordinating surveillance with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams—the team loads, leak-tests, and facilitates transport of the radioactive material.

They typically work during non-peak hours, especially in big cities such as Los Angeles, Boston and Philadelphia, so they don't impact roadways, loading docks or shipping facilities with their oversized cranes and trucks.

The Mobile Loading Source Recovery Team’s 100th removal and shipment included an irradiator with 1,275 curies of cesium from the University of California San Diego. Like every project, it entailed a site- and device-specific hazard analysis plan, along with a risk-mitigation plan to keep the public, workers, and environment safe.

Following completion of this milestone, OSRP is continuing to move forward with the mission, with a total of 35 removals planned this year.

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