[en] The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Waste Technology Section with additional support from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) through the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund has funded the design, fabrication, evaluation, and testing of a portable hot cell intended to address the problem of disused SHARS in obsolete irradiation devices such as teletherapy heads and dry irradiators. The project is initially targeting the African continent but expected soon to expand to Latin America and Asia. This hot cell would allow source removal, characterization, consolidation, repackaging in modern storage shields, and secure storage of high risk SHARS at single sites in each IAEA Member State. The mobile hot cell and related equipment is transported in two shipping containers to a specific country where the following process takes place: - Assembly of hot cell; - Removal of SHARS from working shields, encapsulation into a stainless steel capsule and placement into a long term storage shield; - Conditioning of any other spent sources the country may require. - Dismantling of the hot cell; - Shipping equipment out of country. The operation in a specific country is planned to be executed over a three week period. This presentation will discuss the development of the mobile hot cell facility as well as the demonstration of the state of readiness of the system for manipulation of SHARS and the planned execution of the conditioning operations. As a result of this project, excess SHARS could be managed safely and securely and possibly be more easily repatriated to their country of origin for appropriate final disposition. In conclusion: The successful demonstration of the SHARS conditioning unit has proven that the concept works and that the unit is ready for deployment. The conditioning operations will commence with operations to Sudan and Tanzania, planned for the first half of 2008. The pre-missions to these countries in order to plan and make final arrangements already took place in June 2007. As was mentioned before, this programme aims to assist in bringing the world-wide problem with the proper management of Spent High Activity Radioactive Sources under control. Through international involvement, especially the IAEA and also the USA, it will ensured that sources are managed and stored safely and especially securely thereby eliminating the risk of overexposure to the public and also possible covert actions. (authors)

[en] The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Waste Technology Section with additional support from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) through the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund has funded the design, fabrication, evaluation, and testing of a portable hot cell intended to address the problem of disused SHARS in obsolete irradiation devices such as teletherapy heads and dry irradiators. The project is initially targeting the African continent but expected soon to expand to Latin America and Asia. This hot cell would allow source removal, characterization, consolidation, repackaging in modern storage shields, and secure storage of high risk SHARS at single sites in each IAEA Member State. The mobile hot cell and related equipment is transported in two shipping containers to a specific country where the following process takes place: 1-) Assembly of hot cell; 2-) Removal of SHARS from working shields, encapsulation into a stainless steel capsule and placement into a long term storage shield; 3-) Conditioning of any other spent sources the country may require; 4-) Dismantling of the hot cell; 5-) Shipping equipment out of country. The operation in a specific country is planned to be executed over a three week period. This presentation will discuss the development of the mobile hot cell facility as well as the demonstration of the state of readiness of the system for manipulation of SHARS and the planned execution of the conditioning operations. As a result of this project, excess SHARS could be managed safely and securely and possibly be more easily repatriated to their country of origin for appropriate final disposition. (author)

[en] The system of occupational radiological protection, developed by the IAEA and ICRP is mainly based on radiological, working as well as socio-economic conditions in first-world countries. This is to a large extent understandable as organizational, information and technical infrastructures within these countries allow them to take a leading role in the field. The same is true with regards to peripheral methodologies often used in a supplementary way. The occupational radiation protection philosophy and the system based on it have been accepted generally throughout the world, in developed and developing countries. When applying the system of radiation protection in developing countries with different socio-economic conditions and different development requirements, one is, however, sometimes left with the impression that the system may usefully be adapted somewhat to the local conditions, especially with regard to the optimization approach. To fully understand the given perspective one should realise that there is an interface between occupational and societal risk. It is proposed that a holistic approach be followed when performing optimization assessments in countries with primitive agricultural or developing societies taking into account the societal risks and the impact on occupational risk. (author)

[en] The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Waste Technology Section with additional support from the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) through the IAEA Nuclear Security Fund has funded the design, fabrication, evaluation, and testing of a portable hot cell intended to address the problem of disused Spent High Activity Radioactive Sources (SHARS) in obsolete irradiation devices such as teletherapy heads and dry irradiators. The project is initially targeting the African continent but expected soon to expand to Latin America and Asia. This hot cell allows source removal, characterization, consolidation, repackaging in modern storage shields, and secure storage of high risk SHARS at national radioactive waste storage facilities. (authors)

[en] Short communication

No abstract available

[en] The generation rate of disused radioactive sources of industrial origin that are managed as Radioactive waste in Chile amounts to more than 100 units per year, with annual average activity of 18 Terabequerelios on the date of receipt at the radioactive waste management facilities. The objective of this work is to present the activities developed for the implementation of the process of conditioning of radiation sources in recoverable form, of categories 3 and 4, according to International Atomic Energy Agency standards and national regulatory framework. Inventory of existing radioactive waste, sources of Cesium 137 and Cobalt 60 were selected. The dismantling and obtaining the radioactive source itself, by brand and model of equipment originals, allowing verification of their physical and radiological characteristics. The operation was carried out in a sufficient armor workbench for a total activity of 250 Gigabequerels. The conditioning was done by depositing the sources in stainless steel capsule limited by the volume and activity of each source. The safety barriers for the capsule consist of shielding of lead and mortar jacketed container. As a result of this operation, a total of 111 sources of Cesium 137 with 150 Gigabequerels and 46 units of Cobalt 60 with 12 Gigabequerels They were conditioned in this operation. The radiation doses in contact with the final package are 0.5 milliSievert / hour for the bulk of Cesium and 0.1 milliSievert / hour for the bulk of Cobalt, complying with the operating conditions of the conditioned waste warehouse.