Packing and Shipping Containers

Packaging and shipment of radioactive materials at EZIP adhere to the regulations of the U.S. Department of Transportation (49 CFR), The International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions on the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO TI), and trade association guidelines such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

EZIP uses two types of packaging to ship radioactive materials: excepted packaging and type A packaging. Type A packaging is used to carry normal form radioactive material as defined by the A2 values of 49 CFR 173.435 (1998) and IATA 10.4.2.3 (2001) and encapsulated radioactive material that has been issued an IAEA certificate of Competent Authority Special Form Radioactive Material Encapsulation Certificate by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

In the Standard Type A configuration, sources are sealed in an inner container and centered in a fiberboard box. Sources requiring heavy shielding are shipped in a lead shield centered in a fiberboard box.

Excepted Packaging (Limited Quantity) is used when the activity limits do not exceed those defined in 49 CFR 173.425 (1998) and IATA regulations table 10.5.A (2001) and the radiation level at any point on the package does not exceed 0.5 millirem per hour. All boxes shipped from EZIP as “excepted packages” meet the requirements of 49 CFR 173.421(1998) and IATA regulation 10.5.9.4(2001). Radiation levels on the external surfaces of all packages and at a distance of one meter from all external surfaces (Transport Index), will not exceed the limits set in 49 CFR 173.441(1998) or IATA 10.5.16 (2001). All measurements are made with an Eberline RO2 or equivalent ion chamber survey instrument.

Unless special arrangements are made with the customer in advance,
radiation levels at the surface of any shielded inner containers will not
exceed 200 millirem per hour as measured with an Eberline RO2 or
equivalent ion chamber survey instrument.