Accrediting Safeguards Measurement Capability Steven Kadner and Markku Koskelo AQUILA

Introduction The term “state-level concept” evolved from the Additional Protocol and was first used in a 2005 report on safeguards implementation during 2004. One dimension of the state-level approach is political. Another, different dimension is technical. The question might be to what extent the IAEA can trust the safeguards measurement results being reported by the member states as being accurate. There will be times when the IAEA will need to be able to trust the measurement results made by a member state using their own equipment. Since incorrect measurement results could have legal and political ramifications, the question becomes what additional systems could be put in place to increase the IAEA’s level of trust in the measurements made by the member states themselves.

Accreditation Processes NVLAP Potential legal ramifications are common in the personnel dosimetry world. Therefore, dosimetry laboratories typically seek an accreditation that they operate in accordance with proper management and technical requirements pertaining to accepted quality standards for personnel qualification and training; test and calibration methods; equipment calibration; sampling; handling of test and calibration items; and test and calibration reports. Such accreditation is available in the United States through the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) which is administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Similar systems are undoubtedly in place in other countries.

Accreditation Processes DOE waste Assay* The Performance Demonstration Program (PDP) for Nondestructive Assay (NDA) is a test program designed to yield data on measurement system capability to characterize drummed transuranic (TRU) waste generated throughout the Department of Energy (DOE) complex. The tests are conducted periodically and provide a mechanism for the independent and objective assessment of NDA system performance and capability relative to the radiological characterization objectives and criteria. Waste Acceptance Criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WAC) requires annual participation in the PDP by the waste characterization operators who intend to ship TRU waste to WIPP. * Performance Demonstration Program Plan for Nondestructive Assay of Drummed Wastes for the TRU Waste Characterization Program, DOE/CBFO-01-1005, August 2005.

Proposed Accreditation Process Safeguards Historically, many safeguards instruments were designed by US DOE Laboratories, and verified for their intended purpose. Today there are several many government sponsored and commercial developers. An system of accreditation in the calibration and use of safeguards measurement devices would serve the international safeguards community well and help build trust between all the parties concerned. While there could be a single accreditation entity worldwide, several regional such organizations can also be considered, where each such organization would perform regular cross-checks against each other on a regular basis to verify agreement on the measurement results.

Summary A common baseline on the expected performance and results for safeguards measurement devices is needed to build trust in the State Level Concept. Analogous cross reference programs exist in other fields, such as dosimetry, radioactive waste, etc. Establishing an accreditation program for all entities planning to make safeguards measurements and submitting their results to the IAEA is likely to increase the IAEA’s level of trust in the measurements made by the member states themselves.