Key Issues
Transporting Radioactive Materials
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Strict, Comprehensive Regulation of Shipments
Two federal agencies—DOT and the NRC—have established strict requirements for packaging and shipping radioactive material. These requirements are based on the volume, nature and radioactivity of the material.
DOT regulates packaging, labeling, shipping papers, personnel training, loading and unloading, handling and storage. It also regulates transportation routing and vehicle requirements. The NRC regulates packaging safety to protect workers and the public. It also establishes regulations for protection against diversion of radioactive materials while in transport and regulates the use of radioactive materials, including the licensing and regulation of all shippers and carriers.
The three package categories are:
The design, testing, licensing and building of a Type B package takes three to five years to com-plete and costs more than $1 million. Type B packages must be recertified every five years to remain in use.
Materials used in Type A and B packages include steel and aluminum. For Type B packages, which require radiation shielding, shippers primarily use lead or depleted uranium, but they also may use other materials.
Shippers may transport low-level radioactive waste in industrial packages, or Type A or B pack-ages, depending on the waste’s radioactive concentration and other physical factors. Used nuclear fuel requires Type B packages.
Most radiopharmaceuticals travel in Type A packages; however, some higher-level medical products require a Type B package.
Companies ship the various forms of uranium used for the manufacturing of new fuel for nuclear power plants in Type A packages. They also ship new fuel in Type A packages.
Shippers must encase all materials so the radiation level does not exceed 10 millirems per hour at a distance of about 7 feet from the package. At this level, a person who stands that distance from a truck carrying radioactive materials for one hour would receive 10 millirems of radiation. By comparison, the average person receives about 300 millirems a year from natural background radiation from the sun, rocks, building materials and similar sources.
The company shipping the radioactive material must certify that each package presented for shipment meets DOT and NRC requirements. For Type B shipments, the shippers must use packages for which the NRC has issued a certificate of compliance. The NRC grants this certificate based on a demonstration by the package designer that the packaging could safely withstand the accident conditions discussed previously.
DOT regulates Type A packages and all shippers and carriers of radioactive material. The NRC regulates and approves Type B packages to ensure shippers, carriers and the public are protected from radiation.
Strict, Comprehensive Regulation of Shipments
Two federal agencies—DOT and the NRC—have established strict requirements for packaging and shipping radioactive material. These requirements are based on the volume, nature and radioactivity of the material.
DOT regulates packaging, labeling, shipping papers, personnel training, loading and unloading, handling and storage. It also regulates transportation routing and vehicle requirements. The NRC regulates packaging safety to protect workers and the public. It also establishes regulations for protection against diversion of radioactive materials while in transport and regulates the use of radioactive materials, including the licensing and regulation of all shippers and carriers.
The three package categories are:
- Industrial packages for slightly radioactive materials. Transporters use such containers for most low-level radioactive waste.
- Type A packages for materials that are more radioactive. Generally designed to protect their radioactive contents under a variety of normal transportation conditions, these packages must meet testing requirements—including water spray, drop, compression, penetration and vibration tests.
- Type B packages for materials with the highest levels of radioactivity—such as used nuclear fuel. Designed under the assumption that accidents happen, these packages provide radioactive protection and nuclear safety under very severe accident conditions. These packages must survive simulated accident conditions—water immersion, a 30-foot drop onto an unyielding surface, severe penetration and extreme heat—and also must prevent a nuclear reaction during normal and accident conditions.
The design, testing, licensing and building of a Type B package takes three to five years to com-plete and costs more than $1 million. Type B packages must be recertified every five years to remain in use.
Materials used in Type A and B packages include steel and aluminum. For Type B packages, which require radiation shielding, shippers primarily use lead or depleted uranium, but they also may use other materials.
Shippers may transport low-level radioactive waste in industrial packages, or Type A or B pack-ages, depending on the waste’s radioactive concentration and other physical factors. Used nuclear fuel requires Type B packages.
Most radiopharmaceuticals travel in Type A packages; however, some higher-level medical products require a Type B package.
Companies ship the various forms of uranium used for the manufacturing of new fuel for nuclear power plants in Type A packages. They also ship new fuel in Type A packages.
Shippers must encase all materials so the radiation level does not exceed 10 millirems per hour at a distance of about 7 feet from the package. At this level, a person who stands that distance from a truck carrying radioactive materials for one hour would receive 10 millirems of radiation. By comparison, the average person receives about 300 millirems a year from natural background radiation from the sun, rocks, building materials and similar sources.
The company shipping the radioactive material must certify that each package presented for shipment meets DOT and NRC requirements. For Type B shipments, the shippers must use packages for which the NRC has issued a certificate of compliance. The NRC grants this certificate based on a demonstration by the package designer that the packaging could safely withstand the accident conditions discussed previously.
DOT regulates Type A packages and all shippers and carriers of radioactive material. The NRC regulates and approves Type B packages to ensure shippers, carriers and the public are protected from radiation.
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