Hazardous Materials Package Performance Regulations·

The hazardous materials (hazmat) packaging development and certification process is currently defmed by two different regulatory philosophies, one based on \"specification\" packagings and the other based on \"performance\" standards. With specification packagings, a packaging is accepted for hazmat transport if it is constructed according to an agreed set of design specifications. In contrast, performance standards do not specify the packaging design; they specify performance standards that a packaging design must be able to pass before it can be certified for transport. In this case, the packaging can be designed according to individual needs as long as it meets these performance standards. Performance standards have been used nationally and internationally for about 40 years to certify radioactive materials (RAM) packagings. In the United States, two major packaging categories for RAM, Type A and Type B, must satisfy distinct performance standards listed in Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations part 71 (10CFR71) (USNRC 1991). Type A packagings are for transporting relatively small quantities of RAM as defined by curie level and hazard level, and Type B packagings are for transporting larger quantities. Thousands of these packages are shipped annually, yet, since the performance standards were instituted, there have been no documented releases above the regulatory limit from a Type B package during transportation and only limited releases from Type A packages (Cashwell and McClure, 1992). Thus, it is reasonable to state that for RAM transport, performance specifications have maintained transport safety.