National Nuclear Security Administration launches initiative to reduce use of radioactive source-based devices in New York City

Several security and health organizations recently launched an initiative to reduce the use of risk-significant radioactive source-based devices in medical and research applications in order to reduce the risk of terrorists acquiring this material.

Radioactive sources are used in various medical and research applications such as preparing blood donations for transfusion and cancer research. This program aims to replace these devices with comparable X-ray alternatives.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) recently partnered with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) partnered on the initiative.

“We applaud New York City’s effort to work together to phase out high activity radioactive sources,” NNSA’s Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation David Huizenga said. “It has been at the forefront of U.S. efforts to enhance radiological security and serves as an example for other major cities. We are proud to support the city’s permanent threat reduction effort and we greatly appreciate its leadership in the prevention of radiological terrorism.”

Qualified sites will receive financial assistance through the NNSA Office of Radiological Security’s (ORS) Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project to use for the purchase of new, non-radioisotopic devices, as well as for the removal and disposal of the source-based irradiators.