IMPLICATIONS OF PROPOSED NEW GROUPING SCHEME AND SYSTEM OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TRANSPORT OF LSA-TYPE AND SCO-TYPE MATERIALS

A new system of regulations for the transport of Low Specific Activity Materials and Surface Contaminated Objects (LSA/SCO) is being developed as a proposal to replace the current LSA/SCO classification system. This is a joint project between the above-named organisations in three countries, and is part-funded by the European Commission. The numbers of transport movements ofLSA/SCO-type materials are likely to increase in the future as nuclear facilities are decommissioned and radioactive wastes are transported to disposal facilities. However, the experience of transport users with the existing transport regulations (IAEA 1985/ 1990) bas not proved totally satisfactory, and further problems can be expected in demonstrating the compliance of new types of LSA/SCO materials and transport packages. The proposed system (Lange et al, 1995) groups packages containing solid LSA/SCO-type materials into three main categories, which are based not only on the radioactivity contents of the packaged materials but also on the properties and performance of the materials and packages, and on assessments of the potential radiological consequences of accidents. This system would maintain the safety levels of the existing transport regulations (IAEA 1985/ 1990). Consideration of the material properties and radiological consequences is in accordance with modem regulatory thinking, but bad not been fully applied to LSA/SCO packages until now.