Off-Site Source Recovery Program, OSRP

OSRP recovers excess and unwanted radioactive sealed sources as part of NNSA's Office of Global Material Security.

Overview

The Off-Site Source Recovery Program (OSRP) is a U.S. Government activity directed and funded by the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Office of Global Material Security and is managed at Los Alamos National Laboratory through the Nuclear Engineering & Nonproliferation Division.

OSRP has an NNSA sponsored mission to remove excess, unwanted, or disused US-origin radioactive sealed sources that pose a potential risk to national security, health, and safety.

The initial scope of the Program included any US-origin sealed sources comprising Greater than Class C (GTCC) low-level radioactive waste. However, since September 11, 2001, the mission expanded from environmental concerns to address broader public safety and national security requirements. As a result, OSRP moved from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management, to NNSA in 2003.

In addition to transuranic sources, the expanded OSRP mission now includes recovery of beta/gamma emitting sources that are not otherwise commercially disposable, and are of concern to both the U.S. government and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In total since 1997, OSRP has been able to recover over 47,600 sources from more than 1750 sites (including all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico and 29 foreign countries). These recoveries have resulted in more than 1.58 million Curies of radioactive material being removed and secured.

See our U.S. recoveries to date

See OSRP Operations Worldwide

Entities having unwanted radioactive sealed sources should register them with OSRP. For registration information, questions, and comments, send e-mail messages to OSRP Group or call 505-667-5822 or 877-676-1749.

For media inquiries, please contact the LANL Communication and Public Affairs Office at 505-667-7000.

[Note: In some cases legal reuse and recycling might be possible and is encouraged by NNSA and OSRP. Registration does not imply nor guarantee that the program can assist with removal/disposition of all radioactive material. Information provided on this website including hyperlinks, and email traffic of OSRP staff is not to be construed as an endorsement of any private or commercial entity.]