The Effects of Type C Packaging Regulations on the Shipment of High Activity Cobalt 60 Sources

High activity Cobalt 60 sealed sources are used by the gamma processing industry for the sterilization of medical disposables. Typical shipments to industrial irradiators include PBq quantities of Cobalt 60. The implementation of the Type C requirements for air shipment has made shipments of typical quantities impractical. A case study is presented showing costs of compliance with these new requirements to be millions of dollars. Examples are also provided showing the importance of the air shipment. It is concluded that the benefits associated with this change in regulations have not been demonstrated and are outweighed by costs and other practical considerations.