An Analysis of the Background and Development of Regulations for the Air Transport of Plutonium in the USA*

On August 9, 1975, the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 94-79 which imposed a prohibition on the air transport of plutonium until the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) developed and tested a packaging that would not rupture under the crash and blast testing equivalent to the crash and explosion of a highflying aircraft. The exact text of the amendment to Public Law 94-79, the NRC fundmg authorization bill, is as follows: \"The Nuclear Regulatory Commission shall not license any shipments by air transport of plutonium in any form, whether exports, or domestic shipments; provided, however, that any plutonium in any form contained in a medical device designed for individual human application is not subject to this restriction. This restriction shall be in force until the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has certified to the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy of the Congress that a safe container has been developed and tested which will not rupture under crash and blast-testing equivalent to the crash and explosion of a high-flying aircraft\".