Chapter 7 - Nuclear Material Accounting and Control

Abstract

With the advent of the nuclear age, there was concern by states over how to manage nuclear material inventories due to their strategic and financial value and safety risks to both workers and the public, and to deter and detect any unauthorized activities. The need for a systematic approach to account for and control access to nuclear materials drove states to form the foundations of a nuclear material accounting and control (NMAC) system. Not unlike systems in use for banking and industry, basic elements began to evolve for accountancy and control using ledgers to record, assay systems to determine isotopic composition and weight, label to identify contents, and secure locations to store and process these materials. The best parallel would be the precious metals industry where systems were put in place to not only account for and control the inventory but also to support deterrence and detection of both insiders and outsiders who intended to steal these materials.