Under President Trump’s Leadership, NNSA Strengthens U.S. Security by Removing High-Risk Cesium from Vermont

"The safe removal of high-risk cesium from Vermont marks another milestone in safeguarding the United States under the leadership of President Trump" said Matthew Napoli, NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. "Each successful state cleanout is a testament to NNSA's unique capabilities and our unwavering commitment our national security agenda to secure high-risk radioactive material, eliminate threats, and protect the American homeland."

This operation marks the third high-risk radioactive material cleanout completed by NNSA in the United States in 2026, following successful cleanouts in North Dakota and South Carolina. With this achievement, Vermont joins Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming in eliminating this risk from their communities.

In July, a team from Idaho National Laboratory safely removed a self-shielded cesium irradiator from the University of Vermont (UVM) in Burlington, Vermont as part of NNSA's Cesium Irradiator Replacement Project (CIRP). This voluntary program encourages users of cesium irradiators to upgrade to safer, advanced technologies, reducing the risk of high-risk radioactive materials nationwide.