A new edition of the IAEA Transport Regulations : which consequences and lessons for the industry ?

Transport of radioactive material has to comply with the national and international modal regulations for the transport of dangerous goods. All these regulations are based on the requirements set forth in the “Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material” (SSR-6) established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Regulations follow a two-year review cycle. The review triggers - when deemed necessary - a revision of the Regulations.The last cycle is now completed and culminated in 2018 with the publication of a new edition of the Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material. The companion guide, “Advisory Material for the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material”, is currently in the last steps of revision to be aligned with the 2018 Edition of the Regulations.Significant changes have been introduced. This includes - inter alia - the deletion of the leaching test from the requirements for LSA-III material, the provisions for a new category SCO-III of Surface Contaminated Objects, the incorporation of the concept of dual-purpose cask through the new requirements for shipment after storage and the subsequent explicit requirement for all packages to take into account ageing mechanisms. In the Advisory Material, the new guidance for the implementation of the requirements about pressure differential for packages to be transported by air is of importance for the Industry.The paper will provide indications about the practical consequences for the Industry of the main modifications which were accepted during the preparation of the new edition of the IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material.Furthermore, the paper will also include an analysis of the actions which were conducted to get a proper understanding of the proposals, prior to or in parallel of the formal process, and that lead to the acceptance or rejection of the proposals. It will conclude with the lessons learnt by the industry regarding the process for the review and revision of the IAEA Regulations, and the conditions to be met to gain acceptance of a proposal for a significant change of the Regulations and / or of the Advisory Material.