SAFEGUARDS IN REPROCESSING

The recent concern of the Federal Regulatory Agencies toward combating terrorist attack or sabotage has materially increased requirements for nuclear materials safeguards in fuel reprocessing facilities. These requirements have drastically affected both physical protection and materials control and accounting. Some of the changes reduce operating efficiencies with questionable improvement in safeguards and others require clarification before they can be realistically applied. The areas of concern are inventory frequency, materials control and accounting for low enriched uranium, visual monitoring in laboratories, employee search, double barriers during construction and assay of fission product contaminated solid waste.