How safe are nuclear safeguards

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Inter Depend.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6263930

Sullivan, E

Reports of weaknesses in IAEA safeguards have alarmed the US and since September 1977, US officials have refused to certify that the IAEA can adequately safeguard nuclear material the US exports. For political reasons, the IAEA safeguards system cannot perform an actual policing role or physically protect strategic material. The IAEA can only send out inspectors to verify bookkeeping and install cameras to sound the alarm should a diversion occur. Based on these IAEA reports and on interviews with scientists and US officials, the following serious problems hampering the Agency's safeguards effort can be identified: no foolproof safeguards for commercial reprocessing plants, uranium enrichment facilities, or fast breeder reactors; equipment failure and unreliable instruments; faulty accounting methods; too few well-trained inspectors; restrictions on where inspectors can go; commercial conflicts. Programs by the US, Canada, West Germany, Japan, and developing nations devised to better safeguards are briefly discussed. Some experts question whether international safeguards can be improved quickly enough to successfully deter nuclear weapons proliferation, given the rapid spread of nuclear technology to the third world. (MCW)

• OSTI ID: 6263930
• Journal Information: Inter Depend.; (United States), Journal Name: Inter Depend.; (United States) Vol. 6:1; ISSN INDED
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

055001 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
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29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ACCOUNTING
ACTINIDES
AGREEMENTS
ELEMENTS
ENRICHMENT
EXPORTS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
IAEA SAFEGUARDS
INDUSTRY
INSPECTION
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
MANAGEMENT
METALS
NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
NUCLEAR MATERIALS DIVERSION
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
PROLIFERATION
REGULATIONS
RELIABILITY
REPROCESSING
SAFEGUARD REGULATIONS
SAFEGUARDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
URANIUM
WEAPONS