2008-2009 EU-US Lighthouse Priority Project: Sorting, Tracking and Monitoring of Medical and Industrial Radioisotopes in Commerce
A European Union (EU) - United States Government-Private Sector Stakeholder Partnering Pilot Project Focused on Demonstrating Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) Technology Best Practices, Technologies & Standards in the Transatlantic Trade Corridor
Background: At the 2007 EU-US Summit, the leaders of the US and EU committed to jointly pursue adoption of a framework for advancing transatlantic economic integration in the form of jointly directed “Lighthouse Priority Projects”. Specifically, RFID technology was identified as a priority candidate for demonstration of best practices and technology innovation in a joint pilot project beginning in 2008. Over the past five years, EPA, DOE & ORNL have worked with state regulatory compliance personnel, key private sector shippers and carriers, on RFID tracking and monitoring of medical and industrial radioisotopes in commerce. The EPA Radiological Source Tracking and Monitoring (RadSTraM) project tested, evaluated and integrated RFID technologies in laboratory settings, at multiple private-sector shipping and distribution facilities using common radioisotopes used in everyday commerce. The RFID tracking was also tested in association with other deployed technologies including radiation detection, chemical/explosives detection, advanced imaging, lasers, weigh- in-motion and infrared scanning. Project findings have indicated the RFID tracking of radioisotopes in commerce is viable and desired by supply chain stakeholders.
Approach: The EU, DOC, EPA, USPS, DOT and
DOE/ORNL will collaborate with world renowned universities, key international policy-makers, and major private-sector supply-chain stakeholders to jointly develop the Lighthouse Priority Project entitled Global Radiological Source Tracking and Monitoring (GRadSTraM) that will significantly enhance transatlantic economic integration by demonstrating RFID Tracking with other select supply chain technologies in an existing DOE/ORNL transatlantic radioisotope supply chain shipping corridor.
DOE/ORNL Radioisotope International Shipping Corridors
Benefits:
• • • • • • • Increased protection of human health and the environment Multi-modal visibility into high-risk/high-value shipments Improvements to shipping security, management, and loss control Business Case Validation for a more competitive and automated market place Standardization to improve interoperability and governance of international shipments. Market for solutions to improve the performance and efficiency of supply chain networks R&D innovation in security and privacy protection of information networks