The Number of Sealed Sources in Use and Lost, Stolen, or Abandoned Worldwide Is Unknown

The precise number of sealed sources that is in use worldwide is unknown  because many countries do not systematically account for them. Limited Information Exists about the Number of Lost, Stolen, or Abandoned Sealed Sources

Because many countries cannot account for their sealed sources, there is  limited information on the number of sealed sources that are lost, stolen, or  abandoned—referred to as “orphan sources.”  According to the Director  General of IAEA, orphan sources are a widespread phenomenon, and 34 of  the 49 countries responding to our survey indicated that orphan sources  pose problems in their country. Countries Responding to Our Survey Reported That They Have Established Controls over Sealed Sources

All of the countries that responded to our survey reported that they have  established legislative or regulatory controls over sealed sources. Countries’ Controls over Sealed Sources Vary and Are Weakest among Developing Countries

Nuclear safety and security experts from the Departments of Energy, State,  and Defense; NRC; IAEA; and the European Commission told us that  controls placed on sealed sources vary greatly between countries and have  focused primarily on protecting public health and safety and not on  securing the sources from potential terrorists threats. Other U.S. federal agencies, including the  Departments of Defense and State, and NRC have efforts under way to help  countries strengthen controls over sealed sources as well. Figure 5 shows an example of the security upgrades  funded by DOE. Both NRC and the State Department have extensive experience in nuclear  regulatory and safety-related issues in the former Soviet Union. The Majority of DOE’s Program Expenditures Have Been in the United States

DOE budgeted $20.6 million for the Radiological Threat Reduction program  in fiscal year 2002 and received an additional $16.3 million in fiscal year  2003. Further, DOE’s efforts to develop a plan to guide its  efforts is a step in the right direction. However, DOE disagreed with our finding that it had not coordinated its  efforts with NRC and the Department of State to ensure that a  governmentwide strategy is established. However, we believe, as noted  in the report, that DOE is well suited to help other countries secure sealed  sources because of its long history in securing weapons grade material in  the former Soviet Union and that it should take the lead in developing a  comprehensive plan to strengthen controls of other countries’ sealed  sources. Scope and Methodology

To answer our objectives related to (1) number of sealed sources  worldwide and how many sources are lost, stolen, or abandoned and (2)  the legislative and regulatory controls that countries that possess sealed  sources use, we distributed a questionnaire to 127 member countries of the  International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including 3 countries whose  IAEA membership had been approved but had not yet taken effect at the  time of our survey. To determine what assistance has been provided by the United States to  other countries to strengthen their controls over sealed sources, we  obtained budget, obligation, and expenditure data from the four agencies  providing assistance—the Departments of Energy, State, and Defense, and  NRC.
Why GAO Did This Study

Sealed radioactive sources, radioactive material encapsulated in stainless steel or other metal, are used worldwide in medicine, industry, and research. These sealed sources pose a threat to national security because terrorists could use them to make "dirty bombs." GAO was asked to determine (1) the number of sealed sources worldwide and how many have been reported lost, stolen, or abandoned; (2) the controls, both legislative and regulatory, used by countries that possess sealed sources; and (3) the assistance provided by the Department of Energy (DOE) and other U.S. federal agencies to strengthen other countries' control over sealed sources and the extent to which these efforts are believed to be effectively implemented.

What GAO Found

The precise number of sealed sources in use is unknown because many countries do not systematically account for them. However, nearly 10 million sealed sources exist in the United States and the 49 countries responding to a GAO survey. There is also limited information about the number of sealed sources that have been lost, stolen, or abandoned, but it is estimated to be in the thousands worldwide. Many of the most vulnerable sealed sources that could pose a security risk are located in the countries of the former Soviet Union. All of the 49 countries that responded to GAO's survey reported that they have established legislative or regulatory controls over sealed sources. However, nuclear safety and security experts from DOE, the Departments of State and Defense, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the European Commission told GAO that countries' controls over sealed sources vary greatly and are weakest among less developed countries. In fiscal year 2002, DOE established a program focusing on improving the security of sealed sources in the former Soviet Union and has started to fund security upgrades in Russia and other former Soviet countries. The Departments of Defense and State and NRC also have programs to help countries strengthen controls over sealed sources. DOE plans to expand its program to other countries and regions in 2003 and is developing a plan to guide its efforts. However, the department has not fully coordinated its efforts with NRC and the Department of State to ensure that a government-wide strategy is established. In addition, as of January 2003, the majority of DOE's program expenditures totaling $8.9 million were spent by DOE's national laboratories in the United States.