DS549 - Control of Orphan Sources and Other Radioactive Material in the Metal Recycling and Production Industries

Status: STEP 5

Revision von SSG-17

Beteiligte IAEO-Komitees: RASSC, WASSC, EPReSC, NSGC

Specific Safety Guide

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Background Information

SSG-17 “Control of Orphan Sources and Other Radioactive Material in the Metal Recycling and Production Industries” was published in 2012 with the objective to provide guidance and recommendations for the control of radioactive material in scrap metal and metal products for the protection of workers, the public and the environment and to implement mainly Requirements 1 to 4 of the ‘General Requirements for Protection and Safety’ established in GSR Part 3, “Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards”.

Since SSG-17 pre-dates GSR Part 3, it is necessary to revise and update this Safety Guide. There is also a need to ensure consistency with relevant safety requirements established in GSR Part 1 (Rev. 1) and GSR Part 7. The recommendations provided in GSG-15, Remediation Strategy and Process for Areas Affected by Past Activities or Events, need to be taken into consideration, as well as the supplementary guidance to the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, “Guidance on the Management of Disused Radioactive Sources”. Furthermore, there is a need to revise the terminology used in the publication to ensure consistency with the new definitions in the IAEA safety requirements publications and the IAEA Nuclear Safety and Security Glossary, 2022 (Interim) Edition.

The revised Safety Guide will also take into consideration the experience and approaches in the control of orphan sources and other radioactive material that are found in the metal recycling and production industries.

The Safety Guide will:

• address the identification and management of orphan sources and other radioactive material that may inadvertently enter in the metal recycling supply chain, including the recycling and processing of scrap metal in metal production industries;
• apply to all organizations involved in metal recycling and production industries;
• provide recommendations on how to apply a graded approach to the control of orphan sources and other radioactive material at metal recycling and production facilities, taking into consideration the wide range of facilities and activities in handling scrap metal for recycling and subsequent processing;
• provide recommendations on national and international cooperation needed for prevention and management of orphan sources and other radioactive material encountered in these industries;
• address the interface between safety and security measures in relation to orphan sources and other radioactive material that might be found in metal recycling and production industries.

This Safety Guide will not cover the responsibilities of authorized parties related to the loss of control over radioactive material; and national response plans that might be activated as a consequence of the discovery of radioactive material. Also, this Safety Guide will not provide detailed recommendations on decontamination activities of premises that might be contaminated due to melting of a radioactive material or other causes, or the subsequent management of any radioactive waste that arises as a result of discovery of a radioactive material in metal recycling industries. Although the revised Safety Guide will address the need for interface of safety with nuclear security when an orphan source or other radioactive material is discovered in a metal recycling and production industry, it will not provide guidance or recommendations specific to nuclear security aspects.