ISU can’t find small bit of weapons-grade plutonium

Idaho State University says it can’t find a small amount of radioactive, weapons-grade plutonium about the size of a U.S. quarter, and federal officials are proposing an $8,500 fine.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said in a statement Friday that ISU can’t account for a third of an ounce of the material that’s used in nuclear reactors and to make nuclear bombs.

Officials say the amount is too small to make a nuclear bomb but could be used to make a dirty bomb to spread radiation.

The university says documents from 2003 and 2004 identify the material as being on campus. But the school says a search in October failed to find the plutonium.

The following is a statement released by ISU’s Dr. Cornelis Van der Schyf, vice president for research.

“Idaho State University acknowledges receiving a fine from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission regarding an inventory discrepancy that occurred in 2003.

About 15 years ago, a small radioactive source was taken out of service at ISU with intentions of disposal due to questions with its integrity. University staff at that time only partially completed paperwork connected with the disposal action. During a routine inventory last year, ISU staff identified a discrepancy between ISU records and federal records. This was immediately reported to the NRC, and procedures to prevent similar future occurrences were established. Unfortunately, because there was a lack of sufficient historical records to demonstrate the disposal pathway employed in 2003, the source in question had to be listed as missing.

Enhancements to ISU’s inventory system and other administrative initiatives were immediately put into place to prevent this type of discrepancy in the future. University and regulatory officials have responded in an appropriate and responsible fashion. The radioactive source in question poses no direct health issue or risk to public safety.

The radioactive sources in question are known as Nuclear Accident Dosimeter (NAD) sources. In their original application, they would provide information about critical accidents if they occurred. When ISU received them, they were originally used in research to develop ways to interrogate waste packages as part of the Idaho Clean up project. Later, after 9/11, they were used in research to develop methods to accomplish contraband interrogation that is important to border security. The sources are very small trace quantities of radioactive material and have very limited applications.

Since this research is no longer being conducted at ISU, the group of sources previously used in the research are either being returned to the Department of Energy, or in some cases, ISU is collaborating with the DOE to dispose of them in an appropriate fashion.”