STABILITY AND CONSISTENCY IN INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION REGULATIONS

IAEA develops and promulgates guidance and recommendations for the international transportation of radioactive materials. Such consensus regulations on acceptable transport modes and packaging requirements have enabled international shippers and carriers to demonstrate an exemplary safety record in protecting the public, the environment and transport workers. Unfortunately, increasingly complex and stringent regulations do not always have a strong safety basis and differences in the interpretation and application of such regulations are deterring regulatory compliance and placing an unnecessary burden on the transport industry. Regulations that are in a constant state of flux may impact safety, increase the costs for compliance significantly, decrease commitments to regulatory compliance, and cloud public perception of the industry. New or revised regulations should always be evaluated in terms of their enhancement of safety. Competent Authorities are showing an increasing unwillingness to accept package certifications issued by other Competent Authorities. Requiring submission of complete safety cases or additional justification for a package that has already been approved by another Competent Authority causes delays, impedes international commerce, unnecessarily burdens shippers and transporters and eventually results in higher costs for end users. The IAEA has three very important roles to play in promoting the safe international transport of radioactive materials. It must ensure that new and revised regulations are truly safety-focused and that they will have demonstrable, positive impacts on public heath and safety. It must play a leading role in promoting the consistent interpretation and application by all Competent Authorities of its consensus regulations. And finally, it must work to ensure that the testing, licensing and certification of packages are uniformly conducted and that certifications by a Competent Authority are acceptable to other Competent Authorities.