Archived Web Page: Draft Regulatory Document RD-364Joint Canada - United States Guide for Approval of Type B(U) and Fissile Material Transportation Packages

PREFACE

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (TS-R-1) specifies that once a Type B(U) transportation package design has been approved by one country, it can be used in other countries without additional review. In actuality, however, some Member States, including Canada and the United States, review all applications for package design prior to allowing its use in their country.

In Canada and the United States (U.S.), competent authorities review all foreign certified package designs before issuing the Competent Authority approval (revalidation). This process can be lengthy and is complicated by differences in domestic regulations, interpretation of IAEA regulations, package application format, and acceptance criteria.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) have cooperated to produce this guide to facilitate the Canadian and American regulatory approvals of Type B(U) and fissile package design certificates. This guide assists applicants in preparing applications that thoroughly and completely demonstrate the ability of the given package to meet either Canadian or U.S. regulations, as applicable.

This document describes a method that is acceptable to the CNSC for complying with the Canadian Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances (PTNS) Regulations, SOR/2000-208, which incorporate, in part, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) TS-R-1, 1996 Edition (Revised), and is acceptable to the DOT and NRC for complying with the U.S. regulations in Title 10, Part 71, Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials, of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR Part 71). 

This guide is published in Canada as RD-364, Joint Canada-United States Guide for Approval of Type B(U) and Fissile Material Transportation Packages. In the United States, it is published as NUREG-1886, Joint Canada-United States Guide for Approval of Type B(U) and Fissile Material Transportation Packages. RD-364 pertains to Canadian regulatory requirements; for questions pertaining to the U.S. regulatory requirements, refer to NUREG-1886.

Nothing contained in this document is to be construed as relieving any applicant from the requirements of any pertinent regulations. It is the applicant’s responsibility to identify and comply with any applicable legislation or standards.