Regional Security of Radioactive Sources Project
 

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• RSRS Overview
• Workshops, reports, papers and presentations
• Review Meetings

RSRS Overview

  
In 2004, Australia, through the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), created the Regional Security of Radioactive Sources (RSRS) Project.
 

In establishing the Regional Security of Radioactive Sources (RSRS) Project, ANSTO partnered with United States National Nuclear Security Administrations' (NNSA) Radiological Threat Reduction component of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative, delivered by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the programs of the International Atomic Energy Agency to form the South East Asian Regional Radiological Security Partnership (RRSP)*.

* See the IAEA Director Generals 2006 Annual Report on Nuclear Security, section H.4.

The intent of the partnership is to cooperate with Australia's regional neighbours in Southeast Asia to improve the security of their radioactive sources. This SE Asian RRSP supports all countries' objectives to:

• Improve the security of high risk radioactive sources by raising awareness of the need, and developing national programs;
• Protect and control such materials;
• Improve the physical protection and security management of such materials;
• Recover and condition the materials no longer in use; and
• Prevent or mitigate the consequences of security breaches or malicious acts.

To date, joint activities have included assistance with the improvement of regulatory infrastructure for the control of radioactive sources, training on the physical protection and security management of radioactive sources, technical train-the-trainer programs, development of security plans and procedures, training and assistance with the search, location, identification and securing of orphan radioactive sources and overall assistance with implementing the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources.

Since the inception of the partnership, ten Southeast Asian nations have participated in a range of activities from receiving general training on the security of radioactive sources to receiving specialised equipment and training to locate orphan or abandoned radioactive sources. By having a shared vision and objectives for radioactive source security in the Southeast Asian region to satisfy international best practice such as the IAEA Code of Conduct, ANSTO, the USNNSA and South East Asian countries have been able to develop a successful partnership which has effectively utilised the resources of each partner.

Workshops, reports, papers and presentations   
 

The ANSTO RSRS Project delivered a second South East Asia Regional Workshop on Radioactive Source Security for Industrial Radiography and Well Logging Practices, from 3 to 6 December in Putrajaya, Malaysia. The workshop report documents the discussions, issues arising, and identifies items for consideration and action by regulators, operators/ licensees and the international community.  Further, the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) has published a WINS International Best Practice Guide on the Security of Industrial Radiography Sources, December 2012.  This can be downloaded with free membership to WINS.

The RSRS Project has authored two papers, and co-authored one paper for presentation at the International Conference on Nuclear Security: Enhancing Global Efforts, 1 to 5 July 2013 at the IAEA in Vienna titled:

• "Australia's South East Asia Regional Security of Radioactive Sources Project- Achievements and lessons learned", [paper]
• "Training and Development for the Security of Radioactive Sources- Promoting Effectiveness and Sustainability", [paper], and
• "A World of their own: The distinctive challenges of protecting radioactive sources", [paper]

See the latest list of papers describing RSRS project activities here. 

Regional Review Meetings 

• The first review meeting of the RRSP activities and achievements occurred in July 2008 in Bali, Indonesia, hosted by the Indonesian National Nuclear Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN): see 2008 RRSP Review Meeting Report.
• A second Review Meeting was held in Da Lat, Vietnam, from 9-12 March 2010. It was hosted by the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS). See the 2010 RRSP Review Meeting Report.
• The third review meeting was held in Bohol, the Philippines, from 18-20 January 2012.  It was hosted by the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI).  See the 2012 RRSP Review Meeting Report.

For more information contact:

Mr Allan Murray, Manager, Regional Security of Radioactive Sources Project.
Phone: (+61 2) 9717 3260
Email: allan.murray@ansto.gov.au