DISPOSITION OF SURPLUS INVENTORIES A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR MATERIAL MANAGEMENT TOOL

Elimination of unneeded nuclear materials from inventory is the single, most effective tool a site can employ to reduce safeguards and security (S&S) targets and associated overhead costs. However, for various reasons, this tool is underutilized at most DOE facilities. Thus, many sites within the Complex incur higher S&S costs than necessary in protecting and managing nuclear materials for which there are no identified requirements. Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM) recognized this problem in 1994 and established inventory reduction as a corporate priority. Since then, our surplus inventories have been reduced by over 24 metric tons (approximately 90%). Not only have we eliminated nearly all of our surplus Category I and II targets, but also have significantly reduced the number of Material Balance Areas (MBAs), reduced the number of nuclear facilities, and eliminated many radiological hazards. Today, our reduced inventory is substantially easier and less costly to manage. Our disposition program has many of the key elements needed for success in any endeavor (e.g. management support, stakeholder involvement, information management, project planning and costing, etc). However, ultimate success can be credited to the resolve of a highly motivated team committed, in spite of numerous obstacles, to reducing surplus inventories.