Monty Python's Flying Plutonium

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@aecl.ca>]

Dear Radsafers,

Regarding the January 15th, 2000 shipment of plutonium from New Mexico to
Canada, which was trucked to Sault Sainte Marie and from there was
helicoptered to the AECL laboratories.

Can you please clear up this issue of flying plutonium for me -- what
exactly is "illegal" for air transport in the United States?  I assume the
container itself is legal for air transport anywhere in North America, so is
it just the plutonium?  Is the American law specifically in reference to
weapons-grade material (WPu) in any configuration, concentration, and
packaging?
> I assume that the U.S. military is exempt? (ie. bombs carried by Air Force
> bomber aircraft). And people with Pu238 pacemakers are allowed on
> airlines?
> 
Someone told me today that the US is out of step with the rest of the world
on Pu transport & container certification. Apparently, in the US, there are
no containers certified for air transport of Pu - hence it would be illegal.
The US will not endorse the certificates from other countries, either.
> In Canada, the AECB reviews and provides an endorsement of the container
> certificates issued by other nations, sometimes adding additional
> restrictions for use in Canada.
Might there be some distinction beween WPu and civil Pu on this issue ?

Thank you

Jaro
frantaj@aecl.ca
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