Re: A Radioactive Transportation Puzzle

[Ruth Weiner <rfweine@sandia.gov>]

     It's Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (can you believe?)
     
     There is a class of materials called (in 10 CFR 71 and other 
     transportation and LLW regs) Low Specific Activity (LSA) materials, 
     which is usually contaminated dirt or mine tailings and includes 
     natural uranium and thorium and depleted U.  LSA is material in which 
     the activity is uniformly distributed; the allowable activity is 
     defined with reference to the Appendix of 10 CFR 71 (different for U, 
     Th, etc.) -- see the definition of LSA in 10 CFR 71.  My guess is that 
     the vehicle you describe was used to transport LSA material, probably 
     contaminated soil.
     
     For LSA transportation packages (the package is the truck and cover, 
     in this case), the external surface dose rate must not exceed 200 
     mrem/hr and the dose rate at one meter from the external surface must 
     not exceed 10 mrem/hr (10 CFR 71.47).  If the trailer is used only for 
     LSA ("exclusive use") it has slightly higher allowable exterior dose 
     rates.  The transportation package must also include a "containment 
     system securely enclosed by a positive fastening " (10 CFR 71.43(c).  
     But this is all when the LSA is actually being transported.  An empty 
     truck would itself be LSA under 10 CFR 71.4 ("Objects ... externally 
     contaminated") and surface contamination should not be readily 
     dispersible and should not exceed small fractions of levels given in 
     the Appendix.
     
     I would check with Rocky Flats transportation people.  Even an empty 
     truck ought to be covered ("surface contamination should not be 
readily dispersible") because abiding by the regulations depends largely on the 
shipper if the shipment is in-state.  Your observation is the kind of thing that
gets blown out of proportion in discussions of radioactive materials 
transportation.


Ruth F. Weiner, Ph. D.
Transportation Systems Department
Sandia National Laboratories
Mail Stop 0718
P. O. Box 5800
Albuquerque, NM 87185-0718
505-844-4791
505-844-0244 (fax)
rfweine@sandia.gov

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: A Radioactive Transportation Puzzle
Author:  VERNIG.PETER@FORUM.VA.GOV at hubsmtp
Date:    1/28/98 8:05 AM


Group,
I live about five miles South of Rocky Flats Environmental Center or 
whatever they call themselves now.  As I was waiting for a light on
the road that goes North past the flats, a semi drove by.  The trailer was 
what I would call a rock or dirt haulter.  Cross section a rounded 
rectangle.  Usually open on top but they can [and usually should] have a 
canvas tarp top pulled over the load to keep things from bouncing out
and dinging windshields.  I'm sure you've all seen this type of trailer, 
though my description isn't to good.  They are used to haul dirt, rock 
sand, agregate, rubble, etc.  Now the puzzle.  It had a small white
with black lettering sign that said "For Radioactive Materials Use Only".
     
Anybody got any clues?  I'm just curious.  As far as I know Rocky Flats' 
Pu contaminated materials is all in drums and I don't know of anything 
going on out there that would use a truck like that.  Ft. Saint Vrain is 
done decommissioning, I think and I can't see why a truck from there would 
be on that road.
     
Oh BTW the trailer was apparently empty.
     
Peter G. Vernig, VA Medical Center, Denver
     
Please reply to vernig.peter@forum.va.gov