Belgian nuclear research centre SCK CEN and partner Institut National des Radioéléments (IRE) have begun construction of a facility – the first of its kind in Europe – for transforming radioactive residues from medical radioisotopes into low-enriched uranium that could be used in research reactors.

The facility, known as Recumo, will recover uranium from medical radioisotope production at IRE in Fleurus, south of Brussels, and purify it so it can be reused

“We are giving a second life to these radioactive residues. They become reusable raw materials that can be used as fuel for research reactors or as ‘targets’ for the production of new radioisotopes”, Peter Baeten, head of SCK CEN, said.