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Radioactive sources are at the heart of CCRI activities, whether it is a reference field for the calibration of instruments, an unknown sample that needs to be identified and standardized, or a check source that monitors system stability. However there are pressures from several different directions to reduce the use of radioactive sources in ionizing radiation applications, replacing them with other technologies. To study the impact of such an evolution on ionizing radiation metrology, the CCRI decided to create a task group dedicated to this issue with representatives from each section of the CCRI and from source suppliers, with the following main objectives:

1. review the report from the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine on “Radioactive Sources: Applications and Alternative Technologies” and identify the potential impact on ionizing radiation metrology,
2. review the current and future requirements for radioactive sources within the activities of CCRI, including the options for non-source-based alternatives,
3. produce a report summarizing this review and make recommendations to the CCRI for strategic activities to ensure that a robust international system of standards and calibration capabilities within the field of ionizing radiation can be maintained.

This task group held its first meeting on 17 May 2022 and will present its conclusions at the next CCRI meeting in June 2023.