[ RadSafe ] NRC PROPOSES NATIONAL TRACKING SYSTEM FOR CERTAINRADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

[Dawson, Fred Mr]

FYI - Information about the UK proposals a tracking system for High
activity sealed sources and orphan sources (the HASS Directive) can be
found at:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/hass-directive/

EU Directive at

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/hass%2Ddirective/annexa3.pdf



Fred Dawson
Health Physics Assistant Director & Team Leader
Directorate of Safety & Claims
6-D-30 MOD Main Building
 
phone    020 7807 0215
email     dsc-hpad at mod.uk
 
http://www.mod.uk/dsc/

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On
Behalf Of George J. Vargo
Sent: 21 July 2005 23:36
To: RADSAFE
Subject: [ RadSafe ] NRC PROPOSES NATIONAL TRACKING SYSTEM FOR
CERTAINRADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

Seen today on NRC's web site

NRC PROPOSES NATIONAL TRACKING SYSTEM FOR CERTAIN RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering amending its
regulations to
implement a national tracking system for certain radioactive materials
used
for academic, medical and industrial purposes. 
The NRC is working closely with other federal agencies and the states to
develop the National Source Tracking System to track certain radioactive
materials in specific quantities. During 2002-2003, the NRC worked with
other agencies and the international community to reach agreement on
which
radioactive materials and sources should be tracked. Those sources are
set
forth in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Code of Conduct
on
the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources.
The proposed amendment to NRC regulations would require licensees to
report
information on the manufacture, transfer, receipt or disposal of these
sources of interest to an automated National Source Tracking System, to
be
administered by the NRC. The sources are considered "sealed sources"
because
they are encased in a capsule designed to prevent leakage or escape of
the
material. The radioactive materials that will be tracked include, but
are
not limited to, certain amounts of Cobalt-60, Strontium-90, Cesium-137,
Iridium-192 and Americium-241. 
Each licensee would also have to provide its initial inventory of
nationally
tracked sources to the National Source Tracking System and annually
verify
and reconcile the information in the system with the licensee's actual
inventory. In addition, the amendment would require manufacturers to
assign
a unique serial number to each nationally tracked source.
"This regulation would allow us to better understand and monitor who
possesses sources of interest on a national basis," said Charles L.
Miller,
Director of the NRC's Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety.
"It
is consistent with recommendations of the International Atomic Energy
Agency
(IAEA) and a joint NRC/Department of Energy report."
Once fully operational, the National Source Tracking System would help
NRC
and Agreement States (the 33 states that have agreed with the NRC to
regulate the medical and industrial uses of radioactive material) to
conduct
inspections and investigations, communicate nationally tracked source
information to other government agencies, and verify legitimate
ownership
and use of nationally tracked sources. The NRC has developed and is
maintaining an interim database of radioactive sources of interest for
both
NRC and Agreement State licensees. This database will be maintained
until
the National Source Tracking System is complete. 
Radioactive materials provide critical capabilities in the oil and gas,
electrical power, construction and food industries; are used to treat
millions of patients each year in diagnostic and therapeutic medical
procedures; and are used in technology research and development. In
developing its requirements, the NRC seeks to provide appropriate
security
for the materials without discouraging their beneficial use. 
Further details of the proposed amendments to NRC's regulations are
contained in a Federal Register notice, to be published soon. Interested
persons are invited to submit written comments within 75 days after
publication of the Federal Register notice to the Secretary, U.S.
Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 2055-0001, Attention: Rulemakings
and
Adjudications Staff. Comments may also be sent by e-mail to SECY at nrc.gov
or
submitted via the NRC's rulemaking web site at
http://ruleforum.llnl.gov.


George J. Vargo, Ph.D., CHP
Senior Scientist
MJW Corporation
http://www.mjwcorp.com
610-925-3377
610-925-5545 (fax)
vargo at physicist.net


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