Example for an approval procedure for fissile material excepted according to 417(f)

With the 2012 edition of the Transport Regulations [1], the IAEA has introduced an approval for material excepted from the classification as “FISSILE” (para 417(f)). Following the transfer of the IAEA Transport Regulations to the UN Model Regulations (UN Orange Book) and to the regulations for the different transport modes, the national regulations in Europe have applied this requirement since 2015. Recently, the competent authorities in Switzerland and Germany have been faced for the first time with an application for an approval of fissile material excepted according to 417(f). In preparing the decommissioning of a Swiss research reactor, slightly irradiated fuel rods are foreseen for an international transport to enable further use of the material. As the research reactor has been moderated by heavy water, the fresh fuel rods had a natural isotopic composition. The current composition after operation is slightly above the acceptable levels for classification as non-fissile and, additionally, the neutron spectrum during operation has not been exclusively thermal. Therefore, the operator took the decision to launch an application for an approval of fissile material excepted according to 417(f).Due to the internationality of the transport and the first application of the new option in the IAEA Transport Regulations, the competent authorities of the neighbouring countries, Germany and Switzerland, agreed to collaborate closely for this approval procedure. The paper gives background, details and experience of this approval procedure from the authority’s point of view.