Packaging Requirements Under the New Regulatory Changes and Their Effects on the Shippers Quality Control Program

The Nuclear Regu latory Commission (NRC) has published proposed changes to their current radioactive material transportation regulations(lO CFR Part 71) for comment in the Federal Register. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has also developed changes to their Hazardous Material Regulations dealing with radioactive material. These proposed regulations should soon be published for comment, also in the Federal Regi ster. These regulatory changes are designed to bring the United States in line with the international regulations published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) . Assuming that DOT adopts essentially IAEA regulations, a significant impact of these changes falls in the area of packaging used for the shipment of Low Specific Activity (LSA) material and the new proper shipping category of Surface Contaminated Objects . Since the majority of the shipments made by nuclear power facilities fall into this category, these changes will directly effect the operations of these facilities.