Weaponizing Radioactive Medical Waste - The Looming Threat

Abstract

Across the globe, the use of radioactive substances for medical treatment by hospitals has resulted in the generation of toxic wastes on a large scale. The disposal of these wastes is being entrusted to waste disposal vendors. Environmental concerns, social pressures, restrictions, and high labor costs compel these vendors to dump these wastes in developing countries, where enforcement and awareness are significantly lower than in developed countries. Unrestricted access to these waste dumps provides an opportunity for terror organizations to extract toxic substances and fabricate dirty bombs to threaten public safety and cause low-level contamination of sensitive areas. It is therefore imperative to create an international organization to monitor, regulate, and supervise the safe disposal of toxic radioactive wastes.