Transport of radioactive materials
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Date
1990-09
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Publisher
Australian Nuclear Science and Technolgy Organisation
Abstract
It is estimated that around 500 million packages of potentially hazardous materials are transported throughout the world each year. This range of materials includes corrosives, flammable gases, flammable liquids, poisons, oxidisers and explosives. Our everyday life depends on the routine transport of these materials and we intuitively accept the small risk associated with their distribution.
Radioactive materials represent one other type of potentially hazardous material. Several tens of millions of packages of radioactive material are transported throughout the world annually. Around 90% of these packages contain only small quantities of radioisotopes, mainly for medical purposes. Most of the remaining 10% contain radioisotopes for industrial and research purposes. Shipments of nuclear fuel cycle materials represent only a few percent of the radioactive packages transported. The number of shipments of radioactive materials will continue to increase by about 10% each year as the medical, industrial and research uses of radioisotopes are more widely applied as a nuclear fuel cycle activities increase.
About 50,000 packages of radioactive materials are transported annually within Australia. Of this number, Ansto ships over 20,000 packages each year to all main cities in Australia and to regional countries. The vast majority of these shipments constitute radiopharmaceuticals for medical diagnostic purposes. About 75% of the shipments made by Ansto are by air and 25% by road to destinations within the Sydney area.
Description
Copy held in ANSTO Library on DDC: 363.1799/360
Keywords
Radioactive materials, Transport, Packaging, ANSTO, Air Transport, Road Transport, Medical supplies, Australian organizations
Citation
Rolland, J. M. (1990). Transport of radioactive materials. Lucas Heights, New South Wales : Australian Nuclear Science and Technolgy Organisation.