Information on advance notifications of withdrawals of nuclear material from safeguards made in 2021 are shown in the table below. The withdrawals involved material used as radiological shielding or small quantities of material for use in instrument calibration or radiation detectors, or as analytical tracers or for research and development.
Summary of Notifications of Withdrawals from Safeguards (1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021)
| Number of withdrawal notifications (by type of nuclear material involved)1 | Reason for withdrawal |
|---|---|
| Two notifications involving plutonium (Pu) only and four other notifications involving plutonium and/or natural uranium, and/or thorium and/or depleted uranium total mg quantities. | This material was withdrawn for use in analysis (e.g., as samples, standards/tracers and/or in instrument calibration)2 |
| One withdrawals of high enriched uranium (HEU) total mg quantities and one of natural uranium total mg quantities. | This material was withdrawn for use in analysis/analytical purposes (e.g., samples, standards/tracers and in instrument calibration). |
| Thirty four notifications involving depleted uranium (DU), total 555.80kg, two notifications involving thorium (Th), total mg quantities. | The withdrawals of depleted uranium were materials incorporated in shielding containers3 |
Notes
- The tabulated information covers advance notifications of withdrawal approved by ONR Safeguards and which resulted in the withdrawal of nuclear material from safeguards.
- There are no facilities outside safeguards that have material in such quantities and forms, and defence establishment requirements for these specialist materials have therefore been met by supply from civil organisations.
- The advance notifications of withdrawal for depleted uranium shielded containers were for temporary withdrawals, the containers being used during the replacement of spent radioactive sources at UK defence establishments.