The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is increasing the use of risk insights and information in its regulation of nuclear materials and waste. The objective of this risk-informed regulatory effort is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the agency, while maintaining or increasing its focus on safety. The agency's Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) proposed a five-step process to carry out a framework for increasing the use of risk information and insights in its regulation of nuclear materials and waste. The office is carrying out the five-step process to risk-inform the nuclear materials and waste arenas. NMSS's actions included forming a Risk Task Group and the use of case studies to test and complete screening criteria for identifying candidate regulatory applications amenable for risk-informing. Other actions included involving stakeholders through enhanced public participation, developing safety goals for materials and waste regulatory applications, and establishing a risk training program for staff. Through the case studies, NRC staff found the draft screening criteria to be effective in deciding regulatory areas that may be amenable to an increased use of risk insights. NRC staff also found that risk information may have the potential to reduce regulatory burden and improve staff's efficiency in making decisions, while maintaining safety. Finally, staff found that it would be possible to develop safety goals for the nuclear materials and waste arenas.
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