Orphan Source

An orphan source is a self-contained radioactive source that is no longer under proper regulatory control.

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission defines an orphan source more exactly as:

...a sealed source of radioactive material contained in a small volume--but not radioactively contaminated soils and bulk metals--in any one or more of the following conditions

• In an uncontrolled condition that requires removal to protect public health and safety from a radiological threat
• Controlled or uncontrolled, but for which a responsible party cannot be readily identified
• Controlled, but the material's continued security cannot be assured. If held by a licensee, the licensee has few or no options for, or is incapable of providing for, the safe disposition of the material
• In the possession of a person, not licensed to possess the material, who did not seek to possess the material
• In the possession of a State radiological protection program for the sole purpose of mitigating a radiological threat because the orphan source is in one of the conditions described in one of the first four bullets and for which the State does not have a means to provide for the material's appropriate disposition