The Nuclear Regulatory Commission this week proposed a series of amendments to its regulations for packaging and transporting radioactive material, which the agency said would bring its oversight in line with international standards.
The proposed changes, which NRC announced in a Federal Register notice Monday, are aimed at “harmonization with the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] standards” for radioactive waste transportation, the commission said. NRC has made similar updates in the past — most recently in 2015.
“These changes are necessary to maintain a consistent regulatory framework with the U.S. Department of Transportation for the domestic packaging and transportation of radioactive material and to ensure general accord with International Atomic Energy Agency standards,” the notice said.
Among the proposed amendments, NRC suggested adding new exemptions allowing licensees to package and transport “low-risk fissile material,” which refers to radioactive waste shipped in small quantities or low concentrations, without having to adhere to NRC packaging regulations.
The commission currently grants exemptions to some of its licensees to transport radioactive material under certain circumstances, such as in quantities lower than 2 grams per package, or up to 2000 grams if commingled with non-radioactive material.
Under the proposed regulations change, NRC would allow its licensees to ignore packaging regulations for two other types of waste allowed under IAEA standards: uranium with an enrichment of less than 5% in packages of less than 3.5 grams, and fissile nuclides with a total mass of less than 45 grams.
The agency also proposed implementing an aging management program for canisters designed to hold nuclear waste and suggested clarifying language in NRC regulations requiring licensees to provide a biannual report on their quality assurance programs for waste shipments, even if no changes were made to those programs.
NRC is accepting public comments on the proposed regulations changes until Nov. 28, the notice said.
