TRANSPORT | ITDB REPORT IAEA ITDB summary


Latest figures from the IAEA Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB) indicate that thefts of radioactive material continue to follow historical averages but that more than half of these thefts occur during transportation.


THE IAEA INCIDENT AND TRAFFICKING DATABASE (ITDB) details incidents in which radioactive material is or was out of regulatory control. It covers all types of nuclear material, as well as contaminated materials. A total of 4390 incidents have been reported since 1993 when the database was established.


25 20 15 10 5 0


Figure 1. Incidents reported to the ITDB that are confirmed, or likely, to be connected with trafficking or malicious use, 1993–2024.


140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0


Figure 2. Incidents reported to the ITDB where there is insufficient information to determine that the incident is, or is likely to be, either connected or unconnected with trafficking or malicious use, 1993–2024.


250 200 150 100 50 0


Figure 3. Incidents where there is sufficient information to determine that the incident is not, or is unlikely to be, connected, with trafficking or malicious use, 1993–2024.


34 | July 2025 | www.neimagazine.com Incident types are classified as:


Group I: incidents that are, or are likely to be, connected with trafficking or malicious use;


Group II: incidents of undetermined intent; and Group III: incidents that are not, or are unlikely to be, connected with trafficking or malicious use. Broadly in line with previous averages, in 2024 there were


147 incidents of illegal or unauthorised activities involving nuclear and other radioactive material reported. Of these, only three incidents reported in 2024 were deemed by the IAEA to be Group I and likely associated with trafficking or malicious use. A further 21 incidents were considered Group II given that there was insufficient information to determine the intent. The vast majority, 123 incidents, were Group III and not connected to trafficking or malicious use and were most likely the result of either an unauthorised disposal or shipment or the discovery of radioactive material. Trafficking-related incidents and attempts constitute


almost 86% of the Group I total while scams/frauds and attempts are almost 13% and malicious use and attempts are less than 2%. While the majority of Group I incidents involved gramme quantities, a small number involved seizures of kilogram quantities of nuclear material. Considering Group II, between 1993 and 2024 highly enriched uranium was involved in two incidents and plutonium-beryllium neutron sources in three, however no such materials were reported to be Group II in 2024. Overall, the vast majority (83%) of all Group II incidents were comprised of radioactive sources. The majority of incidents in Group III are either unauthorised disposal such as scrap metal or waste recycling, unauthorised shipment, or the discovery of radioactive material. Over the last decade the number of incidents reported in this group has averaged at around 135 incidents per year. Between 1993 and 2024, more than half (53%) involved


radioactive sources and only around 10% involved nuclear material. There were 20 incidents involving highly enriched uranium, three of plutonium, and 10 of plutonium-beryllium neutron sources. These included a number of reports of scrap metal shipments contaminated with highly enriched uranium received by scrapyards. More than a third (37%) of these incidents concerned


radioactively contaminated materials, such as manufactured goods and parts, scrap metals and naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). The number of incidents involving manufactured goods,


such as used pipes, contaminated with radioactive material did increase during 2024, even while the number of incidents in which material was detected in metal recycling chains decreased. This indicates the challenge for some countries in preventing the unauthorised disposal of radioactive sources, it does however, also confirm the efficiency of the detection infrastructure. ■


1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024


1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024


1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024


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