The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has removed all high-risk cesium-137 from Vermont, making it the 15th U.S. state or territory declared free of high-risk quantities of the radioactive material.
This follows a July operation in which a team from Idaho National Laboratory removed a self-shielded cesium irradiator from the University of Vermont in Burlington as part of NNSA’s Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project (CIRP).
Cesium-137 is used in medical and industrial applications, including blood irradiation, but can be used to create a radiological dispersal device, or “dirty bomb,” if obtained by malicious actors.
“The safe removal of high-risk cesium from Vermont marks another milestone in safeguarding the United States under the leadership of President Trump,” Matthew Napoli, NNSA deputy administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, said in an agency press release last week.
Vermont is the third state to complete a high-risk radioactive material cleanout through NNSA programs in 2026, following North Dakota and South Carolina. Other states and territories declared free of high-risk cesium include Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Dakota and Wyoming.
CIRP is a voluntary program that encourages cesium irradiator users to replace the technology with safer alternatives. NNSA said 97% of U.S. cesium-137 blood irradiators have either been eliminated or contracted for removal through the program.
“The removal of all high-risk radioactive material marks a proud moment for Vermont and a major win for national security,” William Irwin, Vermont’s Radiation Control Program director, said in the release.