Negative Media Coverage

["J. J. Rozental" <josrozen@netmedia.net.il>]

Dear Radsafers,

        Considering this subject I think it is an opportunity to let you
know the article written by Richard Rawl, IAEA staff member, on  the Revised
International Regulations on the Safe transport of radioactive material, the
new ST/1, former Safety Series number 6. The article was published in the
IAEA BULLETIN Volume 39, Number 1/1997

Please take also into consideration the following statement: "Given the
difficulty in technically justifying the 70 Bq/g value and the similarity in
results from the transport scenarios and the BSS scenarios, it was
determined to be preferable to simply adopt the BSS derived exemption values"

J. J. Rozental <josrozen@netmedia.net.il>
Israel

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Safe transport of radioactive material: Revised international regulations

A technical overview of the latest main revisions to the IAEA's advisory
Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material 

by Richard R. Rawl 

Since 1961 the IAEA at the request of the United Nations Economic and Social
Council has issued advisory Regulations for the Safe Transport of
Radioactive Material, published as IAEA Safety Series No. 6. These
regulations have come to be recognized throughout the world as the uniform
basis for both national and international transport safety requirements in
this area. Requirements based on the IAEA regulations are known to have been
adopted in 59 countries, as well as by the International Civil Aviation
Organization, the International Maritime Organization, and regional
transport organizations. 

Recognizing the need to keep the regulations up-to-date with the latest
radiation protection principles and evolving transport technologies, the
IAEA has regularly issued revisions to the transport regulations. Most
recently the revisions have taken place at approximately 10-year intervals
and the latest revision began in 1986. The revision process involves a
comprehensive series of technical committee and consultants meetings which
are mainly comprised of representatives of regulatory agencies in the IAEA's
Member States and international safety agencies. The outcomes of these
meetings are reflected in drafts of the revised regulations that are
circulated for comment and further consideration. In September 1996 the IAEA
Board of Governors approved the 1996 draft for publication, and for
application to the Agency's operations, and recommended the revised
regulations to Member States and international organizations for their
adoption.