A Global Cleanout of Nuclear-weapon Materials
Citation: Science and Security Seminar AAAS Center for Science, Technology and Security Policy B354 Rayburn House Office Building May 25, Noon-1:30 PM Document: Click to download
Plutonium and highly enriched uranium (HEU) are the essential ingredients in nuclear weapons. Reducing the number of locations where these materials can be found will therefore reduce the risk that they will come into the hands of terrorist groups. Eliminating materials recovered from excess nuclear weapons makes their elimination more irreversible.
Both these strategies are being pursued: the Global Cleanout of civilian HEU is converting research reactors around the world to low-enriched uranium, which is not weapon usable. And the U.S. and Russia are in the process of eliminating about one third of their Cold War stockpile of highly enriched uranium and are committed to making similar reductions in their stockpiles of weapon plutonium. The current programs are much more limited than they need be, however, and civilian reprocessing is increasing the global stock of separated weapon-usable plutonium. A more comprehensive approach will be discussed | 
