In most cases packaging must be certified to UN standards. The SL Consignment Services Team gives guidance on, and will approve, the transport classification of a waste, so that packaging can be agreed. Several tests must be passed to become UN approved packaging. Some examples of these tests are: Drop: The package is filled and dropped from a specified height on to a hard surface and must not leak. Leak-proof: The package is held underwater, and no escaping air bubbles must appear. Pressure: The package is pressurised from inside and must not leak or burst. Stacking: The packages are stacked and the bottom one must not be crushed. Waste Packaging and Container Types available for Waste Disposal
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material set the recommended regulatory standards for international transport activities. The basic concept is that safety is vested principally in the package which has to provide shielding to protect workers, the public and the environment against the effects of radiation, to prevent an unwanted chain reaction, to prevent damage caused by heat and also to provide protection against dispersion of the contents. All this has to be achieved under normal conditions and also accident conditions of transport for the more highly radioactive materials. In addition, it is important to reduce radiation doses to workers and the public as far as reasonably achievable by adopting best practice at the operating level. Generally, the dose rate of any package other than an excepted package must not exceed 2 milliSieverts per hour (mSv/hour) on the surface. The Consignment Services Team can give further information on this if required. Package classification can change throughout the cycle for example a Type B package such as a fuel flask can be classified as an Excepted package once it is empty and sent back to the customer. Package Types used for Transporting Radioactive Materials
The Regulations provide for five different types of packages:
• Excepted • Industrial (IP1, IP2 and IP3)
• Type A • Type B • Type C.
An Introduction to Waste Management at Sellafield Ltd 16
An Introduction to Waste Management at Sellafield Ltd 17
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