Developing Risk-Based Approaches to the Physical Inventory of Nuclear Materials

Over the past ten years there have been changes in the physical inventory policy for special nuclear materials within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). These changes have been the result of new technologies for protecting special nuclear materials and health and safety factors in the conduct of those inventories. However, the rationale for selecting the inventory frequency and the associated technical basis has not been provided. Major efforts have been devoted to risk assessments and risk management within the US and the DOE is planning to issue guidelines for risk-based prioritization of its activities. A technical justification would enhance the DOE posture for defending its existing physical inventory frequency. This paper examines a risk-based approach to the frequency of physical inventory and discusses a methodology for combining . Safeguards and Security risks with those derived from Environmental, Safety and Health, Criticality, and Radiation Protection.