Sources of radium-226

Sources of radium, which were freely used in the past, were employed for the treatment of cancer. Their use in the private sector made their subsequent location more difficult. In the 1970’s the Nuclear Energy Board (now CIEMAT) initiated a campaign for their location.

In the 1980’s the Nuclear Safety Council and Enresa were created, the former bringing about a legal framework governing such sources and the latter taking charge of their management and removal. Since that time thousands of sources of radium have been removed and safely managed.