Worldwide Under standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency, shipments of radioactive materials travel between the United States and other countries, such as Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, and Sweden. These shipments contain isotopes for use in medicine, industry, and research. In the United States, fresh nuclear fuel is transported to university research reactors and DOE reactors. These reactors are used for research in nuclear physics and nuclear medicine, as well as for producing isotopes for industrial and other uses. Radioactive materials are also shipped to military sites in support of National defense.
Hospitals receive radioactive materials for use in diagnosing and treating diseases.
Environmental cleanup at both present and former DOE sites results in the shipment of radioactive and other hazardous materials to storage and disposal sites. Waste contaminated with radioactive elements may be transported to Government or commercial sites for storage or disposal. DOE delivers isotopes to university, Government, and commercial research laboratories as well. The resulting waste is then shipped by DOE to appropriate disposal facilities. Power Administrations, such as the Western Power and Bonneville Power Administrations in the northwestern United States, operate programs involving the production of electricity at nuclear power plants.