TRANSPORT OF CONSUMER PRODUCTS CONTAINING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS: ARE EXEMPTION LEVELS EXEMPTED?

Despite of the fact that IAEA Transport Regulations do not apply to radionuclides in consumer products that have received regulatory approval, following their sale to the end user, transport of consumer products may be subjected to these regulations because of the small but detectable amounts of radionuclides still incorporated in such products. This can lead to denial of shipment of consumer products in some cases. In this paper, minimal detectable activities for radionuclides present in different types of consumer products (including irradiated gemstones) are given in comparison to exemption levels established by International Basic Safety Standards together with resulting gamma dose rates. Examples of national practices on this subject are provided and recommendations for improvements to national transport regulations for consumer products are given.