SCATR: The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors' Source Collection and Threat Reduction Program

Opportunity to Dispose of Unused Radioactive Sources

The Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) and DOE/NNSA have entered into a cooperative agreement to support sealed source consolidation and disposal efforts at the State level. NNSA is providing up to $2 million over five years to support CRCPD’s "Source Collection and Threat Reduction" or "SCATR" Program.  SCATR’s goal is to collect sources being stored and not used that pose threat to public health and safety and could possibly be used for malicious intent. DOE recognizes that the availability of disposal of such sources is limited and expensive; and has initiated this rare opportunity for licensees to have financial assistance in properly securing and disposing of these sources through this CRCPD program.

The CRCPD SCATR program is limited to sources that do not meet International Atomic Energy Agency’s Category 1 and 2 sources. Examples of sources that would be eligible for the SCATR program include medical brachytherapy sources (137Cs and 226Ra), eye applicators, low activity sources that exceed the NRC 120-day half-life limit for decay-in-storage, long half-life industrial sources, and calibration sources. Collection time-frames across the country and potential costs to licensees are dependent on State participation.  There is no guarantee that CRCPD (or OSRP) can assist with removal/disposition of all radioactive material.

This program is limited to discrete radioactive material (sealed sources or vials but not scaled pipe), whether naturally occurring, or accelerator or reactor produced; and does not include transuranic isotopes (transuranic sealed sources are recovered directly by OSRP). In addition, sources that have already passed through ten half-lives should not be registered for SCATR.

To participate in this program, interested parties must register unused sources with the Department of Energy Off-Site Source Recovery Project by visiting the online registration page -- http://osrp.lanl.gov/PickUpSources.aspx. Alternatively, if you have a large number of unwanted sources to register, please feel free to use this Excel Template. This file does have built in macros, so please enable them upon opening. The spreadsheet is virus free. Once your source data is registered, OSRP will forward the information to CRCPD for round-up consideration.

AAPM and state announcements simply advertise this CRCPD program. If you previously registered your unwanted sources and received an email confirmation, there is no need to re-submit your inventory.

SCATR Update from CRCPD :

The SCATR program funds collections organized by individual state radiation control programs. At this time, funding for SCATR is committed to collections in Fla. & Ore. CRCPD does not know of another state planning an unwanted material round-up; but when one does, the state radiation control program will contact each SCATR registrant. With Barnwell closing to licensees outside CT, NJ, and SC, there is no guaranteed outlet for most nuclides from other states. There are disposition outlets for radium and for products by certain manufacturers, so it is important to register the manufacturer and the type of each radiation source or device (e.g., Amersham brachytherapy tube). CRCPD or OSRP will advise the registrant of any opportunity for transfer or disposal outside of the SCATR program.

Since OSRP and LANL are not responsible for this opportunity, please visit CRCPD, Inc., at http://www.crcpd.org/SCATR/SCATR.html or contact them at (502) 227-4543 for more information. However, if you need assistance with the source registration process, please contact OSRP.

Other Options:

CRCPD List of Radioactive Waste Broker Services - to arrange disposition on your own.

CRCPD List of Possible Outlets for Common Radioactive Materials - to arrange transfer of material to another licensed entity.