Canada Imports, Recycles Radioactive Sources to Aid Cancer Treatments

Canada is receiving discussed radioactive resources so that it can be recycled and used in innovative cancer treatments.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) so far has received two shipments of disused radium-226 from the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT). This material will be recycled further and contribute to rare, innovative cancer techniques. This new initiative sees 65 participating countries who have disused radium-226 sources which will be used to produce the radioisotope, actinium-225, which has been effective in destroying malignant cells in targeted cancer treatments.

"The Global Radium-226 Management Initiative is supporting both the long-term management of these sources as well as the increased availability of actinium-225," said Olena Mykolaichuk, the Director of the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology.

"We are encouraged by the proactive engagement we have seen lately in this area."

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