Frequently Asked Questions about Transporting Nuclear Substances

Q1. How does the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulate the transport of nuclear substances?
Q2. What types of nuclear substances are transported?
Q3. How many shipments of nuclear substances are there in Canada each year?
Q4. Who transports nuclear substances?
Q5. How does the regulation of packaging make transport of nuclear substances safer?
Q6. How are packages used to transport nuclear substances certified?
Q7. Why must users of certified packages be registered?
Q8. When is a transport licence required?
Q9. What does “in transit” mean?
Q10. How are those involved in the transport industry protected from the contents of packages containing nuclear substances?
Q11. What would happen in the event of an accident?
Q12. What are the main responsibilities of the consignor, carrier and consignee?
Q13. Where can I get more information?

Q1. How does the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulate the transport of nuclear substances?

The CNSC shares the responsibility with Transport Canada for ensuring the safe transport of nuclear substances. Basically, this means that all packaging and transport of nuclear substances is subject to the requirements in the CNSC’s Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2015 (PTNSR 2015) and Transport Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations(TDG Regulations).

The TDG Regulations deal with the transport of all classes of dangerous goods, while the PTNSR 2015 are primarily concerned with health, safety and security of people, and protection of the environment related to the special characteristics of radioactive material. Both the TDG Regulations and the PTNSR 2015 apply to all persons who handle, offer for transport, or transport nuclear substances by any mode of transportation.

The regulations cover all aspects of the packaging and transport of nuclear substances, including the design, production, use, inspection, maintenance and repair of packages. They also cover all phases of transport, from the preparation of packages for shipment until unloading at the final destination.

Transportation is governed by international regulations set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and developed over decades of collaboration among countries around the world. Most countries use the IAEA’s Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material (SSR-6) as the basis for regulating the packaging and transport of radioactive materials within their borders. In Canada, the CNSC incorporates the IAEA’s transport regulations into the PTNSR 2015 through an ambulatory reference (that is, these IAEA regulations, as amended from time to time, automatically become part of the PTNSR 2015 after a given transition period and without the CNSC going through a separate regulatory process). This approach thereby ensures that Canada’s domestic regulations continue to remain aligned with international regulations for the packaging and transport of nuclear substances.

Similarly, the TDG Regulations are based on the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods – Model Regulations and cover all classes of dangerous goods, including the transport of nuclear substances.

CNSC inspectors regularly conduct compliance inspections (at consignors’ and carriers’ facilities) to assess whether shipments of nuclear substances are carried out in compliance with the PTNSR 2015 and TDG Regulations.

Q2. What types of nuclear substances are transported?

A wide variety of nuclear substances are transported within Canada every year. These include medical isotopes (such as technetium-99m and fluorine-18), products for consumer use (such as americium-241 in smoke detectors), radiation devices used in the industrial sector (such as cesium-137 and americium-241/beryllium in portable gauges), and uranium ore, fuel for nuclear power plants and nuclear waste.

Q3. How many shipments of nuclear substances are there in Canada each year?

Almost a million shipments containing different nuclear substances are transported to, from and within Canada every year. The majority of these are routine shipments of nuclear substances used for medical, industrial, academic and research, and commercial applications.

Q4. Who transports nuclear substances?

For-hire carriers may include shipping lines, airlines and air cargo shippers, rail companies, couriers and trucking companies. In some cases, companies (licensees) provide their own transport services. Each carrier must have a radiation protection program in place and all individuals transporting nuclear substances must be trained in the transportation of dangerous goods.

Q5. How does the regulation of packaging make transport of nuclear substances safer?

The CNSC regulates all aspects of the packaging of nuclear substances, including the design, production, use, inspection, maintenance, quality assurance and repair of packages.

All nuclear substances are transported in packages that are selected based on the nature, form and quantity or activity of the nuclear substance and the mode of transportation being used. General design requirements apply to all package types to ensure that they can be handled safely and easily, and secured properly, and are able to withstand routine conditions of transport.

For higher-risk shipments, the PTNSR 2015 require that certain types of package designs be certified by the CNSC before those packages are used in Canada. To be certified by the CNSC, packages must meet stringent performance criteria for shielding, containment, ability to withstand impacts, ability to withstand heat, and more.

Examples of packages that must be certified by the CNSC include:

• Type B packages
• Type C packages
• Type H packages
• packages used to transport fissile material

See the list of CNSC Certified Transport Packages and Special Form Radioactive Material.

Q6. How are packages used to transport nuclear substances certified?

To certify a package, a person or company must submit an application to the CNSC. The application is assessed by CNSC certification engineers who must be accredited as professional engineers. They carry out a technical review of the information and applicable test results submitted as part of the application to ensure that the package design meets all the requirements specified in the PTNSR 2015. Certification engineers may also request assistance from other CNSC specialists depending on the characteristics of the design. In addition to the PTNSR 2015, applicants may follow RD-364, Joint Canada – United States Guide for Approval of Type B(U) and Fissile Material Transportation Packages, to facilitate the process of certification by both the CNSC and the United States Department of Transportation. Only if a package meets all specifications is it certified and allowed to be used for transporting nuclear substances.

Learn more about the certification process for transport packages.

Q7. Why must users of certified packages be registered?

For cases where the nuclear substances must be transported in certified transport packages, the CNSC regulates shipments by restricting the use of these packages. With this approach, only those who are registered by the CNSC to use a certified package can use it, and they can transport only those substances for which the package was designed.

Registration to use a certified package confirms that the registered person or company has the proper instructions to prepare the package for transport, has the necessary radiation protection program in place, and has a quality assurance program in place for the packaging itself.

Registered users are also required to ensure that all persons and parties involved in the transport of the certified package are trained to safely carry out their duties. This includes employees of companies that are hired by registered users to transport the package.

Q8. When is a transport licence required?

In general, the transport of nuclear substances does not require a CNSC transport-specific licence. The PTNSR 2015 require that specific transport licences be issued only in the following circumstances:

• transport of Category I, II or III nuclear material
• transport of nuclear substances while in transit
• transport of nuclear substances contained in large objects
• transport of nuclear substances when the transport cannot meet all the regulatory requirements
• transport of nuclear substances that require a multilateral approval of shipments
• transport of nuclear substances that require a special use vessel

Details on the specific information requirements for each type of transport licence application can be found in sections 6 and 7 of the PTNSR 2015.

Q9. What does “in transit” mean?

The term “in transit” applies to shipments of nuclear substances that originate in one foreign country, are destined for another foreign country and travel through Canada before reaching the destination foreign country. Most shipments transiting Canada have no Canadian licensee involved at the origin or the destination. A transport licence is required for those shipments if they involve nuclear substances transported in a package that requires certification. Note that a shipment transiting Canada by aircraft or by ship, where there is no scheduled stop in Canada, does not require a transport licence.

Q10. How are those involved in the transport industry protected from the contents of packages containing nuclear substances?

Companies that transport nuclear substances must train their employees in the proper handling and identification of those nuclear substance shipments in accordance with the TDG Regulation for Class 7 material. Each carrier must have a radiation protection program in place. All shipments of nuclear substances are required to have standard signage and shipping documents that clearly advise those coming into contact with the package about its contents.

CNSC inspectors regularly conduct compliance inspections (at consignor and carrier facilities) to assess whether shipments of nuclear substances are carried out in compliance with applicable regulations.

Q11. What would happen in the event of an accident?

Under the PTNSR 2015 and the TDG Regulations, the consignor and carrier must have measures in place to respond to an emergency involving the transport of their nuclear substances. In addition, the TDG Regulations require the consignor to display a 24-hour telephone number on the transport document that accompanies a shipment of dangerous goods. The purpose of these requirements is to ensure that appropriate technical assistance is immediately available to emergency responders.

The PTNSR 2015 require that all accidents be immediately reported to the CNSC. Once notified of a transport accident involving nuclear substances, CNSC staff follow up to provide appropriate technical information and advice to responders onsite and to make sure that adequate actions have been taken to mitigate the consequences of the event.

Q12. What are the main responsibilities of the consignor, carrier and consignee?

Consignors are responsible, among other duties, for the proper classification and packaging of the nuclear substances, the labelling and marking of the packages, and the preparation of the appropriate transport documents to accompany the shipments.

Carrier responsibilities include ensuring that the packages have been properly loaded and secured on the means of transport, and that safety marks remain properly displayed at all times.

Consignees are responsible for verifying that the packages have not been damaged or tampered with during transport and ensuring that the nuclear substances are properly unloaded from the packages.

Q13. Where can I get more information?

For additional information, visit the CNSC website or contact the CNSC directly.

For additional information on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992 and related regulations visit the Transport Canada website or contact Transport Canada directly.