What is the Fissile Material Disposition Program (FMDP)?

Vision: Reduce the danger through responsible disposition of surplus fissile materials

Nuclear Danger: accidental or deliberate environmental contamination or unauthorized intentinal use as a nuclear device

Surplus: to national security needs

Fissile materials: materials that will undergo nuclear fission

The FMDP addresses two types of special nuclear materials.

1. Highly Enriched Uranium: dispositioned by mixing with depleted uranium to form a low-enriched uranium reactor fuel.
   • Highly Enriched Uranium: uranium with U(235) isotopic content greater than 20% by weight.

   • Low-Enriched Uranium: uranium with a U(235) isotopic content between 0.711% and 20% by weight.

   • Natural Uranium: uranium as it is found in nature, having a U(235) isotopic content of 0.711% by weight.

   • Depleted Uranium: with a U(235) isotopic content less than 0.711%, typically .2%-.5%. Also known as "tails."

2. Plutonium: not quite so easy to dispose of!

Who would want this stuff, anyway?

• It is a significant source of energy.
  1. nuclear detonation
  2. nuclear reactor

• Dispositioning the material in a way that makes it inaccessible (even to us) makes a strong non-proliferation statement.

• Adequate disposition makes use by terrorists difficult.

• We hope that disposition encourages other nations (especially Russia) to follow suit with their material.

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