Radioactive waste is generated during the use of sources in medicine, industry and other practices. RSC constantly conducts inspections in facilities which use the sources in order to ensure that all disused or used sources with no further intention of their use are sent for the long term storage or returned to the supplier. If the license holder only plans to terminate the practice with the source, then the terms are set during the inspections during which sources with no longer in use or sources with expired their useful lifetime shall be managed according to legal acts. This ensures the prevention of occurrence of orphan sources and unjustified public exposure. An average number of 4000 sealed sources are being annually sent to the Ignalina NPP temporary radioactive waste interim storage facility (Table 1). This is due to the fact that companies send sources for the long-term storage which were manufactured during the times of the Soviet Union. There are mainly smoke detectors containing ²³⁹Pu radionuclide. Such type of equipment is still installed in museums, theaters and other facilities. Other sources sent for the long-term storage are calibration sources in the equipment used for dosimetry control purposes.

 

Sources in use	Number of sources
Radiation therapy	22
Gama radiography	2
Smoke detectors	908
Measurers	839
Others	55
Total:	1826