NUCLEAR MATERIAL ACCOUNTANCY AND CONTROL OUTSIDE INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARDS

United Kingdom Accountable Nuclear Material designated as military stocks, are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and are processed and stored at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE). ‘Ilk paper describes the Nuclear Material Control & Accountancy (NMC&A) procedures of AWE which ensure that Accountable nuclear materials are subject to no lower level of control and accountancy standards than those applied to material subject to International Safeguards. It includes advantages of working to International Standards, 1S0 9000, and integration of physical audits with other check required to meet RA package regulations. It concludes with consideration of the future of both the NMC&A task and fissile material management in long term storage.