NNSA’s CIRP checks Kansas off its list

Kansas in now one of 11 U.S. states and territories that is free of cesium-137 irradiators-the others being Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration announced on September 10 that it had completed the removal of all of these medical devices from Kansas as part of its ongoing effort to reduce radiological threats in the United States.

Dirty bombs: Irradiators containing Cs-137 have long been used for certain medical applications, including blood treatments and cancer research. However, proliferation experts warn that these devices could be stolen, and the radioisotopes contained within potentially could be used to make "dirty bombs."

According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the radiation from a dirty bomb could be dispersed within "a few blocks or miles of the explosion", and the explosion could "create fear and panic, contaminate property, and require potentially costly cleanup."

For this reason, Cs-137 irradiators are being replaced in hospitals and research centers with irradiators that use safe X-ray technology.

CIRP: The NNSA' Office of Radiological Security launched the voluntary Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project (CIRP) in 2014 to provide incentives to facilities to replace Cs-137 irradiators with nonradioisotopic X-ray devices.

The incentives include the secure removal and disposal of the irradiators and payment of half the cost toward the purchase of new X-ray devices. According to the NNSA, more than 65 percent of U.S. facilities have volunteered to remove and replace their cesium irradiators through CIRP, which has set a goal of the elimination of all Cs-137 irradiators by the end of 2027.

Safer community: The NNSA reported that the last cesium irradiator at the University of Kansas Medical Center was recently removed, marking the completion of the project in Kansas. Paul Toler, senior associate vice chancellor for research administration at the medical center, observed, "Thanks to our partnership with NNSA and the resources, support, and expertise they provided, we were able to eliminate the last Cs-137 from the state of Kansas. This makes our community safer while simultaneously advancing the university's research mission for the benefit of the citizens of the state of Kansas."

Teresa Robbins, NNSA's acting administrator and DOE's acting undersecretary for nuclear security, said, "By clearing out these irradiators across the nation, NNSA is making significant progress toward eliminating radiological risk and securing communities across the United States. We are proud to add Kansas to the growing list of states that have eliminated cesium irradiators."

Contact: The NNSA encourages individuals or institutions that are interested in participated in CIRP to contact the Office of Radiological Security via email.