UNITED

NATIONS	ST

Secretariat	Distr.

GENERAL

ST/SG/AC.10/1998/44

25 September 1998

Original: ENGLISH
COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON THE

TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS

(Twentieth session,

Geneva, 7-16 December l998,

agenda item 2 (c))

WORK OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS

ON THE TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS

Draft amendments to the	Model Regulations

on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

Marginal 2.7.1.2 – Naturally occurring radioactive substances

The handling of the naturally occurring radioactive substances has been up to now exempted from the nuclear energy regulations, possible occurring exposure to radiation being negligible as compared with the exposure in day to day living conditions.

Marginal 2.7.1.2 drastically reduces the present limits for the exemption of natural material and ores containing naturally occurring radionuclides.

By contrast, international atomic energy law (IAEA, paragraph 2.5 and schedule I "exemptions"; directive 96/29 Euratom II, article 3, article 40 and annex 1) continue to exempt naturally occurring substances.

GE.98-

The new provisions proposed for the transport of dangerous goods of Class 7 affect numerous raw materials and residual substances of the non nuclear industry such as e.g.:

-	Important mineral and slags from specific activities involving naturally occurring uranium/thorium of more than 10 Bq/g for the production of cerium, lanthanum, niobum, titanium oxide, tungsten, zircon;

-	Incrustations, sludges and scraps from the production of petroleum/ natural gas or mine dewatering;

-	Filter dust from scrap recycling.

The quantities involved are large.

The inclusion of those substances as proposed in the Class 7 transport regulation will lead to unnecessary and unpractical additional constraints.

Proposal

1.	Delete the last part of the sentence in 2.7.1.2. (e) from "provided the activity concentration….)"

2.	Add a new sub-paragraph to 2.7.1.2.:

(f)	"Other natural sources dealt with by exclusion of the source or otherwise at the discretion of the Regulatory Authority."

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