Radium Recycling Initiative Helps Transform Hazardous Material into Life-Saving Medications

The IAEA's programme to foster cooperation between countries with disused radium-226 sources and those with the means to recycle or reuse them had a productive year, according to a technical meeting held last week.

Success stories and future plans for the Global Radium-226 Management Initiative were in focus at the meeting held at IAEA headquarters in Vienna.

"The IAEA has done a fantastic job facilitating connections between countries looking to reduce their exposure to radioactive sources that have fallen out of use to groups that are looking to repurpose the material into life-saving cancer therapies, said Matt Burba, Chief Commercial Officer at radiopharmaceutical company Niowave. "We're proud to be part of this effort and excited about the future value of this project to humankind. We expect to continue this important work with the IAEA and its Member States for years to come."

Radium-226 was discovered near the end of the 19th century by Marie Sklodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie and was initially used for radiotherapy, though it has since been supplanted by safer, more effective isotopes. Many countries still possess these legacy sources and now have an opportunity to recycle them. Radium-226 can be transmuted into actinium-225 which is then used for targeted cancer treatments.

"This meeting provided a unique opportunity for countries managing disused radium-226 sources to meet with radiopharmaceutical producers interested in obtaining this material," said Olena Mykolaichuk, Director of the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology. "This will lead to collaborations with the potential for great benefits, transforming hazardous radioactive material into life-saving medications."

The meeting, which brought together 90 participants from 56 countries, featured lessons learned from the experience of several countries in managing disused sealed radioactive sources. In addition, eight radiopharmaceutical companies discussed actinium-225 production and its challenges, and emphasized how crucial this initiative is to delivering vital radiotherapy treatments to cancer patients.

This was a highly productive year for the initiative, with the completion of radium transfers from Curacao, El Salvador, Slovenia and Thailand to organizations in Canada, Germany and the United States of America. International transfers of radioactive material are complex efforts involving careful coordination among regulatory bodies and port authorities to ensure seamless implementation. The IAEA provides support for source inspection, characterization and repackaging prior to shipment.

"Zimbabwe actively participates in the IAEA's Global Radium-226 Management Initiative and sees this opportunity as a sustainable and viable option for the endpoint management of disused radium-226 sources for medical practices conditioned back in 2001," said Amos Muzongomerwa, Technical Services Manager at the Radiation Protection Authority of Zimbabwe. "As a radium contributor, every effort is being made to transfer the disused sources to recipients who can further transform this regulatory liability to contribute to treating cancer and saving lives."

Meeting participants from source holder countries provided information on their countries' radium-226 inventories, while those from recipient countries shared details on the quantities of radium-226 they seek and their processes for engaging with potential donor partners.

"The participation of companies from recipient countries in the platform gave us the opportunity to thoroughly understand the programme elements and explain our concerns and questions we have during our preliminary interaction with these companies," said Panagiotis Tritakis, a waste management specialist in the Greek Atomic Energy Commission.

Looking ahead, the IAEA will continue to help countries consolidate and characterize their disused radium-226 sources in preparation for negotiations with recyclers, and 2025 will be another busy year for the initiative, with disused radium-226 transfers planned for Barbados, Croatia, the Dominican Republic, Fiji, Guatemala, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Spain and Sri Lanka.