Circular No. 14/2003/TT-BKHCN on guiding safe transportation of radioactive materials

CIRCULAR
Regarding the guidance on safely transporting radioactive materials

_______________________

 

Based on the Radiation Safety and Control Ordinance dated June 25, 1996;

Based on Decree No. 50/1998/NĐ-CP dated July 16, 1998 of the Government detailing the implementation of the Radiation Safety and Control Ordinance and Decree No. 13/2003/NĐ-CP dated February 19, 2003 of the Government specifying the Dangerous Goods List and the transportation of dangerous goods by road;

Pursuant to Decree No. 54/2003/NĐ-CP dated 19/5/2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Science and Technology;

The Ministry of Science and Technology guides the safe transportation of radioactive materials as follows:

 

I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY

1.1. This Circular applies to organizations and individuals involved in the process of transporting radioactive materials and radioactive waste (referred to as radioactive materials) in solid, liquid, and gas forms using transport means on roads, railways, waterways, and air within the territory of Vietnam.

1.2. This Circular does not apply to the transportation of:

a) Fissile materials, nuclear fuel.

b) Radioactive materials within the confines of radiation facilities.

c) Consumer products containing radioactive materials that are permitted for circulation and distribution.

d) Radioactive materials whose specific activity is less than the specific activity threshold for exempted radioactive materials or whose total activity is less than the limit for an exempted consignment. The specific activity threshold for exempted radioactive materials and the limit for an exempted consignment are specified in columns 4 and 5 of Table 1, Table 2 of Vietnamese Standard TCVN 6867-1:2001 "Radiation Safety Transport Safety of Radioactive Materials Part 1: General Provisions" (referred to as TCVN 6867-1:2001).

2. Explanation of terms

In addition to the terms defined in TCVN 6867-1:2001, in this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

2.1. Transportation of radioactive materials is a process including activities and conditions related to the movement of radioactive materials from the design, manufacture, maintenance of packaging containers to the preparation, packaging, transportation, storage during transit, as well as final receipt of radioactive materials and radioactive packages under normal circumstances and in case of incidents or accidents.

2.2. A₁ and A₂

a) A₁ is the value of the activity of special form radioactive material and is used to determine the activity limit of special form radioactive material in permissible transport packages. The value of A₁ is specified in column 2 of Table 1, Table 2 of TCVN 6867-1:2001.

b) A₂ is the value of the activity of non-special form radioactive material and is used to determine the activity limit of non-special form radioactive material in permissible transport packages. The value of A₂ is specified in column 3 of Table 1, Table 2 of TCVN 6867-1:2001.

2.3. The specific activity of a radioactive nucleus is the activity of one unit mass of that radioactive nucleus. The specific activity of radioactive material, in the case where the radioactive nucleus is evenly distributed in the material, is the radioactivity of one unit mass of that material. The unit is Bq/g (Becquerel/gram).

2.4. Low toxicity alpha-emitting material is natural uranium, depleted uranium, natural thorium, ores or concentrates containing uranium-235, uranium-238, thorium-232, thorium-228, thorium-230, or alpha-emitters with a half-life shorter than 10 days.

2.5. Special form radioactive material is solid radioactive material that does not disperse or radioactive material contained in a sealed container that cannot disperse into the surrounding environment.

2.6. Low Specific Activity (LSA) radioactive material is radioactive material with limited specific activity. LSA includes three groups:

2.6.1. Group 1 (LSA-I) contains:

a) Uranium ore, thorium ore, or their concentrates and other ores containing naturally occurring radioactive nuclei used for processing these radioactive nuclei.

b) Solid natural uranium or depleted uranium that has not been irradiated; natural thorium or its compounds, mixtures in liquid or solid form.

c) Radioactive material for which the value of A₂ is not limited for them (except fissile material).

d) Other radioactive materials whose activity is evenly distributed throughout and whose average specific activity does not exceed 30 times the specific activity value specified in Tables 1 and 2 of TCVN 6867-1:2001 (except fissile material).

2.6.2. Group 2 (LSA-II) contains:

a) Water with tritium concentration up to 0.8 Terabecquerel/liter (1TBq = 10¹²Bq).

b) Other radioactive materials whose activity is evenly distributed throughout and whose average specific activity does not exceed 10^-4 A₂/g for solids and gases and 10^-5 A₂/g for liquids.

2.6.3. Group 3 (LSA-III) contains:

a) Radioactive material distributed in solid form, or radioactive material distributed in a binding agent (such as concrete, asphalt, porcelain, etc.).

b) Radioactive material with low solubility or radioactive material contained in a relatively insoluble mass so that in the event of package loss, the amount of radioactive material lost due to dissolution when immersed in water for 7 days does not exceed 0.1A₂.

c) Solid radioactive material with average specific activity, excluding shielding material, not exceeding 2.10^-3 A₂/g.

2.7. Low dispersible radioactive material is radioactive material in solid form and not in powder form, or solid radioactive material enclosed in a sealed container to limit dispersion.

2.8. Surface contamination is radioactive material adhering to the surface of an object.

2.9. Loose surface contamination is radioactive material that can be removed from the surface during transportation.

2.10. Fixed surface contamination is radioactive material that cannot be removed from the surface during transportation.

2.11. Surface contamination is the presence of surface contamination on the surface of a package or container or transport vehicle with activity greater than 0.4Bq/cm² for beta emitters, gamma emitters, and low-toxicity alpha emitters, or greater than 0.04Bq/cm² for other alpha emitters.

2.12. Surface Contaminated Object (SCO) is a solid object that is not itself radioactive but has surface contamination. Surface Contaminated Objects (SCO) are divided into two groups:

2.12.1.   Group 1 (SCO-I) has the following characteristics:

a) Loose surface contamination on accessible surfaces, averaged over an area of 300 cm² (or the entire surface area if it is smaller than 300 cm²), does not exceed 4Bq/cm² for beta emitters, gamma emitters, and low-toxicity alpha emitters, or does not exceed 0.4Bq/cm² for other alpha emitters.

b) Fixed surface contamination on accessible surfaces, averaged over an area of 300 cm² (or the entire surface area if it is smaller than 300 cm²), does not exceed 4.10⁴ Bq/cm² for beta emitters, gamma emitters, and low-toxicity alpha emitters, or does not exceed 4.10³ Bq/cm² for other alpha emitters.

c) Loose radioactive contamination not firmly attached plus firmly attached radioactive contamination on surfaces that cannot be contacted, averaged over an area of 300 cm² for beta-emitting substances, gamma-emitting substances, and low-toxicity alpha-emitting substances, or 4.10² (or the entire surface area if it is smaller than 300 cm²), does not exceed 4.10⁴ Bq/cm² 2.12.2. Group 2 (designated as SCO-II):³ Bq/cm² for other alpha emitters.

Radioactive contamination firmly attached and not firmly attached on surfaces larger than the limits specified for SCO-I, with the following additional characteristics: a) Loose radioactive contamination on contactable surfaces, averaged over an area of 300 cm²

) not exceeding 400 Bq/cm²² (or the entire surface area if it is smaller than 300 cm²for beta-emitting substances, gamma-emitting substances, and low-toxicity alpha-emitting substances, or 40 Bq/cm²² b) Firmly attached radioactive contamination on contactable surfaces, averaged over an area of 300 cm²² for other alpha emitters.

) not exceeding 8.10² (or the entire surface area if it is smaller than 300 cm²2.12 for beta-emitting substances, gamma-emitting substances, and low-toxicity alpha-emitting substances, or not exceeding 8.10⁵ Bq/cm² c) Loose radioactive contamination plus firmly attached radioactive contamination on non-contactable surfaces, averaged over an area of 300 cm²⁴ Bq/cm² for other alpha emitters.

for beta-emitting substances, gamma-emitting substances, and low-toxicity alpha-emitting substances, or not exceeding 8.10² (or the entire surface area if it is smaller than 300 cm²2.12 for beta-emitting substances, gamma-emitting substances, and low-toxicity alpha-emitting substances, or not exceeding 8.10⁵ Bq/cm² 2.13. Unirradiated thorium is thorium containing no more than 10⁴ Bq/cm² for other alpha emitters.

gammas of uranium-233 in 1 gram of thorium-232.^-72.14. Unirradiated uranium is uranium containing no more than 2.10

Bq of plutonium, no more than 9.10³ Bq of fission products, and no more than 5.10⁶ gammas of uranium-236 per 1 gram of uranium-235.^-3 2.15. Natural uranium is chemically separated uranium with a mass fraction of 99.28% uranium-238 and 0.72% uranium-235.

2.16. Depleted uranium is uranium containing less than 0.72% mass fraction of uranium-235.

2.17. Enriched uranium is uranium containing more than 0.72% mass fraction of uranium-235.

2.18. Fissile material is uranium-233, uranium-235, plutonium-239, plutonium-241, or any mixture thereof. Fissile material does not include natural uranium, unirradiated depleted uranium, or uranium only slightly irradiated in thermal reactors.

2.19. Packaging is a structure consisting of necessary components to completely enclose radioactive material, to protect against potential harm caused by radioactive material, and suitable for the characteristics of the radioactive material being transported. Packaging may include one or more containment vessels, absorber materials, separating structures, shielding, loading and unloading devices, pressure relief devices, cooling devices, shock-absorbing devices, insulation, and transportation devices... Packaging can be a box, drum, container, tank.

2.20. Radioactive consignment (referred to as consignment) is a system comprising packaging and radioactive material inside the packaging prepared for transport.

2.21. Radioactive shipment (referred to as shipment) is one or more radioactive consignments.

2.22. Container is a type of packaging designed for easy transportation of packaged or unpackaged goods by different means of transport without the need to unload or rearrange goods when changing transport means. It has the characteristic of being sealed, sturdy, reusable, and equipped with additional parts to facilitate transfer from one means of transport to another.

Small container has an external size smaller than 1.5 meters or an internal volume smaller than 3 cubic meters. Large container has dimensions larger than small containers. 2.23. Tank is a type of container that can be a drum or storage tank with a capacity of at least 450 liters for liquids, powders, granules, sludge, or solids, and at least 1000 liters for gases.

2.24. Radiation level is the dose rate, measured in mSv/h (millisieverts per hour).

2.25. Exclusive use is the exclusive use by the consignor of a means of transport or a large container, and all initial, intermediate, and final loading and unloading operations are carried out according to the instructions of the consignor or consignee.

2.26. Design is the description of special radioactive solid material, low-dispersive radioactive material, consignment, or packaging. This description includes technical features, technical drawings, analysis proving compliance with the provisions of this Circular and Vietnamese standards and other relevant regulations.

2.27. Transport Index (TI) is an index used to control radiation exposure to ensure radiation safety. The method for determining the transport index is specified in Section 9 of this Circular.

2.28. United Nations Number (UN number) is a group of four digits assigned by the United Nations Dangerous Goods Transport Committee to identify a specific substance or group of substances.

2.29. Competent Authority is the Department of Radiation Control and Safety under the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Provincial Departments of Science and Technology directly under the Central Government.

3. Radiation Safety Plan

Organizations and individuals involved in the transportation of radioactive material must develop a radiation safety plan. This plan shall include the following requirements:

3.1. Optimize radiation safety measures during transportation so that the radiation dose (referred to as dose) of individuals must be lower than the prescribed dose limits and reduce the dose and number of people exposed in accordance with economic and social conditions.

3.2. Have a personal protection plan, monitor radiation contamination of consignments, preparation areas, storage areas, and transport vehicles, establish and retain inspection records.

3.3. Personnel involved in the transportation process must be trained in radiation safety, understand fire prevention and firefighting rules, and safe transportation regulations for radioactive material. They must be retrained annually in these areas.

3.4. Radioactive consignments must be isolated from transportation personnel and the public. Isolation distances are calculated based on dose limits as follows:

a) For transportation personnel, loaders, and packers: 5 mSv/year.

b) For the public frequently passing through areas with radioactive material: 1 mSv/year.

3.5. Radioactive consignments must be isolated from undeveloped film. The basis for calculating isolation distance is the dose limit: 0.1 mSv/shipment of film.

4. Emergency Response Plan

Organizations and individuals involved in the transportation of radioactive material must develop an emergency response plan for incidents during transportation. This plan shall include the following main contents:

a) Responsibilities and tasks of departments and individuals when an incident occurs;

b) Procedures for urgent notification to relevant authorities about incidents;

c) Response procedures for incidents, necessary technical equipment.

c) Procedures for dealing with incidents, accidents, and necessary technical means;

d) Warning methods for the surrounding population at the site of the accident;

đ) Measures to protect against and mitigate radioactive contamination;

e) Emergency measures for victims;

g) Training and regular drill procedures for accident prevention plans;

5. Quality Assurance

Organizations and individuals involved in the transportation of radioactive materials must establish quality assurance programs for the following activities:

a) For the consignor: design, manufacture, testing, documentation, use, maintenance, and inspection of all special form radioactive materials, low-specific activity radioactive materials, containers, and radioactive packages.

b) For the carrier: transportation stages, intermediate storage.

These quality assurance programs must be based on Vietnamese standards and internationally approved standards applicable in Vietnam.

II. REGULATIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE PACKAGES

6. Types of radioactive packages and their activity levels

6.1. Radioactive packages are classified into four groups depending on the total activity within the package and the specific activity of the radioactive material (in ascending order):

6.1.1. Exempted Packages: Exempted packages are those containing radioactive materials, products containing radioactive materials, empty containers that previously contained radioactive materials... with radioactive activity not exceeding the values specified in Table 1 of Appendix I.

6.1.2. Industrial Packages: Industrial packages contain radioactive materials with low specific activity and surface contaminated objects (see Table 2 of Appendix I). The quantity of radioactive material in a package is limited so that the activity level for transport means does not exceed the values specified in Table 3 of Appendix I. Industrial packages are divided into three types:

a/ Type 1 Industrial Package (IP-1) may contain:

Low Specific Activity Group 1 (LSA-I) solid radioactive material.

Low Specific Activity Group 1 (LSA-I) liquid radioactive material, exclusively transported.

Surface Contaminated Object Group 1 (SCO-I).

b) Type 2 Industrial Package (IP-2) may contain:

Low Specific Activity Group 1 (LSA-I) liquid radioactive material, non-exclusively transported.

Low Specific Activity Group 2 (LSA-II) liquid and gas radioactive material, exclusively transported.

Low Specific Activity Group 3 (LSA-III) radioactive material, exclusively transported.

Surface Contaminated Object Group 2 (SCO-II).

c) Type 3 Industrial Package (IP-3) may contain:

Low Specific Activity Group 2 (LSA-II) gas and liquid radioactive material, non-exclusively transported.

Low Specific Activity Group 3 (LSA-III) radioactive material, non-exclusively transported.

6.1.3. Type A Package is a package containing radioactive materials:

a) For special form radioactive material, the activity shall not exceed A₁.

b) For other radioactive materials, the activity shall not exceed A₂.

c) For a package containing a mixture of radioactive nuclei whose names and radioactive activity are known, the activity must satisfy the following conditions:

B(i) is the activity of nucleus i in special form radioactive material.

A₁(i) is the value A₁ of nucleus i.

C(j) is the activity of nucleus j in non-special form radioactive material.

(j) is the value A

A₂of nucleus j.₂ 6.1.4. Type B(U) and B(M) Packages:

a) Type B Package may contain any amount of radioactive material with activity not exceeding the activity approved by the competent authority in the design of the package. However, if a Type B package is transported by air then:

Special form radioactive material package: activity shall not exceed 3,000A

or 100,000A₁ Other radioactive material package: activity shall not exceed 3,000A₂.

b) Type B Package may be unilaterally approved by the competent authority of the country designing the package and called₂.

Type B(U) or may be multilaterally approved by the competent authority of the country designing the package, the competent authority of the country through which the package is transported, and the competent authority of the country to which the package is transported and called Type B(M). 6.2. Packaging of the various groups is designed, manufactured, and tested according to Vietnamese standards or internationally approved standards applicable in Vietnam.

7. Control of Loose Radioactive Contamination

7.1. Loose radioactive contamination on the outer surface of a package shall not exceed the following limits:

a) 4Bq/cm

for beta-emitting, gamma-emitting, and low-toxicity alpha-emitting materials.² b) 0.4Bq/cm

These limits are averaged over an area of 300cm² for other alpha emitters.

of any part of the surface. If the surface is smaller than 300cm² , it is averaged over the entire surface area.² 7.2. Loose radioactive contamination on the outer and inner surfaces of cargo containers shall not exceed the limits specified in Point 7.1.

7.3. If a package is damaged or leaking, or suspected of being damaged or leaking, movement of the package must be prohibited and the radiation-contaminated area and radiation level on the package must be immediately assessed. The object to be assessed for contamination is the package, the transport vehicle, the adjacent area where the package is placed, and if necessary, all other materials transported on the same vehicle.

7.4. Damaged or leaking packages with radiation levels exceeding the permitted limit for normal transport conditions must be moved to a temporary location for repair and decontamination until the initial condition is restored before further transport.

7.5. The transporter must periodically inspect transport vehicles and equipment used in the transport of radioactive materials to determine the level of contamination. The frequency of inspection depends on the level of transport but shall not be less than once per year.

7.6. Transport vehicles and equipment used in the transport of radioactive materials that are contaminated beyond the limits specified in Point 7.1 or have a surface dose rate greater than 5mSv/h must be decontaminated and can only be reused when the radioactive contamination does not exceed the limits specified in Point 7.1 or the surface dose rate does not exceed 5mSv/h.

8. Maximum Radiation Level

8.1. The radiation level of an unpackaged device or item with activity lower than the exempted package activity limit must ensure that the dose rate at any point 10cm away from its outer surface does not exceed 0.1mSv/h.

8.1. The radiation level of a device or unpackaged item with an activity lower than the activity limit for exempted consignments must ensure that the dose rate at any point 10 cm away from their outer surface does not exceed 0.1 mSv/h.

8.2. The quantity of radioactive material LSA or SCO in an industrial package (type IP-1, IP-2, or IP-3) must be limited to ensure that the radiation dose rate at a point three meters from the LSA or SCO without shielding does not exceed 10mSv/h.

8.3. For excepted packages, the surface radiation dose rate on the package shall not exceed 5mSv/h.

8.4. For other types of packages, the radiation dose rate at any point on the outer surface of the package shall not exceed 2mSv/h, and the radiation dose rate at a point one meter from the outer surface of the package shall not exceed 0.1mSv/h.

8.5. For road or rail transport using exclusive use, the surface radiation dose rate of a package may exceed 2mSv/h but shall not exceed 10mSv/h if the following conditions are met:

a) The transport vehicle is protected or enclosed so that during the entire transport period, no unauthorized person can enter the enclosed area.

b) Securing measures are taken to ensure that the packages remain fixed in position within the transport vehicle throughout the transport period.

c) Packages shall not be loaded or unloaded during the transport period.

8.6. For air or waterway transport using exclusive use, the surface radiation dose rate of a package shall not exceed 2mSv/h; if it exceeds this level, permission from the competent authority is required.

8.7. For transport vehicles containing packages, containers, the radiation dose rate at any point on the vehicle wall including the top and bottom of the vehicle shall not exceed 2mSv/h, and the radiation dose rate at a point two meters from the outer surface of the transport vehicle shall not exceed 0.1mSv/h.

8.8. The radiation level at all positions where people are present on the vehicle shall not exceed 0.02mSv/h if these people do not have radiation shielding.

9. Determination of transport index and permissible transport index

9.1. The transport index (denoted as TI) for a package, container, or for unpackaged LSA-I or SCO-I radioactive material is determined as follows:

a) Determine the maximum surface radiation dose rate (measured in mSv/h) at a distance of one meter from the outer surface of the package. The measured value is multiplied by 100, and the resulting number is the transport index.

b) For containers and unpackaged LSA-I and SCO-I radioactive materials, the value determined in Point 9.1.a is multiplied by an appropriate factor specified in Table 4 of Appendix I.

c) The value obtained in Points 9.1.a and 9.1.b is rounded up to the first decimal place (for example, 1.13 becomes 1.2), except values equal to or less than 0.05 are considered as 0.

9.2. The transport index for each container or transport vehicle is determined by the sum of the transport indices of all packages, or by directly measuring the surface radiation dose rate as specified in Point 9.1.

9.3. The transport index is defined as follows:

a) The transport index of a package shall not exceed 10, except in cases of exclusive use.

b) The transport index for containers or transport vehicles not using exclusive use is specified in Table 7 of Appendix I.

c) There is no limit set for the total transport index for shipments of LSA-I.

d) There is no limit set for the total transport index for exclusive use.

10. Marking

10.1. Each package must clearly and durably mark the following information on the outside of the packaging:

a) Name of the sender or recipient, or both;

b) United Nations identification number as specified in Table 6 of Appendix I;

c) Weight of the package, if the weight of the package exceeds 50kg;

d) Package type symbol corresponding to the design:

For industrial packages, mark: IP-1, IP-2, IP-3;

For Type A packages, mark: Type A;

For Type B packages, mark: Type B(U) or Type B(M);

e) For Type B(U) and Type B(M) packages, additionally mark: the design approval number issued by the regulatory authority of the country of manufacture and the serial number of the packaging conforming to this design, and the radiation warning symbol specified in Figure 1 of Appendix II. This symbol must be embossed or stamped, durable against fire and water.

10.2. For unpackaged LSA-I or SCO-I radioactive material contained in receptacles or packaging material and transported under the conditions specified in Section 15, the outer surface of the receptacle or packaging material must clearly mark: "PHÓNG XẠ LSA-I" or "PHÓNG XẠ SCO-I".

10.3. In the case of imported or exported packages, explanatory terms may be marked in English.

11. Labeling of packages

11.1. Packages are classified for labeling according to the conditions specified in Table 5 of Appendix I and the following principle: if the transport index satisfies the condition for this category but the surface radiation dose rate satisfies the condition for another category, the package will be classified in the higher category. Each package must be labeled according to its category. Labels for categories are specified in Figures 2, 3, and 4 of Appendix II. In the case of imported or exported packages, the content of the labels may be marked in English.

11.2. Labels unrelated to the contents of the package must be removed or covered.

11.3. Excepted packages do not require labeling. Other packages must be labeled on both opposite sides of the outer surface of the package. For containers or tanks, labels must be affixed on all four sides of the outer surface. For large containers, large labels as specified in Figure 5 of Appendix II may be affixed without additional signs.

11.4. Labels must contain the following information:

a) Name of the radioactive nuclide (using symbols as in Table 1 of TCVN 6867-1: 2001), except for LSA-I. If it is a mixture of radioactive nuclides: the names of the most significant nuclides that can fit within the label dimensions. For LSA-I, marking "LSA-I" is sufficient;

b) Activity: the maximum activity of the radioactive nuclides, unit is Bq with appropriate prefixes (kBq, MBq...);

c) Transport index: only required for yellow II and yellow III labels.

12. Placing signs on containers and transport vehicles

12.1. Containers carrying non-excluded items and TEUs must bear four yellow placards as specified in Figure 5 of Appendix II. In cases where the item is imported or exported, the word "radioactive" may be written in English. The placards shall be affixed vertically on each face and at the edge of the container or TEU. Labels as prescribed in Figures 2, 3, and 4 of Appendix II with the minimum size specified in Figure 5 of Appendix II may replace the stickers and placards.

12.2. Vehicles transporting radioactive materials must affix three yellow placards prescribed in Figure 5 of Appendix II on both side panels and the rear panel of the vehicle.

12.3. Containers or TEUs containing packages classified as LSA-I or SCO-I that have not been packed or radioactive packages that are exclusively used must additionally mark the lower half of the placard (as prescribed in Figure 5 of Appendix II) with the United Nations number (as specified in Table 6 of Appendix I) in black letters, with a height of no less than 65 millimeters.

III. PROVISIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION

13. Isolation during transportation and intermediate storage

13.1. During transportation and intermediate storage, packages and containers containing radioactive materials must be isolated from:

a) Positions occupied by people and undeveloped films in accordance with Points 3.4 and 3.5.

b) Other dangerous goods (flammable, explosive...).

13.2. Packages or consignments classified as Category II-Yellow or Category III-Yellow shall not be placed in passenger compartments except when such compartments are reserved for specially authorized persons accompanying these packages or consignments.

13.3. When stored, each group of packages or containers must be placed at least six meters apart.

13.4. The carrier shall be responsible for ensuring that necessary isolation is maintained throughout the transportation and intermediate storage period.

14. Arrangement of packages in vehicles and intermediate storage

14.1. Packages must be arranged securely so that they do not shift, overturn, or fall.

14.2. They must be arranged so that the average surface heat flux of the packages does not exceed 15W/m².².

14.3. Packages must be loaded into containers or onto transport vehicles in such a way that the surface radiation level and transport index do not exceed the values specified in Points 8.7 and 9.3.

15. Transportation of unpackaged radioactive material

15.1. Low Specific Activity Type 1 (LSA-I) and Surface Contaminated Object Group 1 (SCO-I) radioactive material may be transported unpackaged if the following conditions are met:

a) Exclusive use;

b) LSA-I or SCO-I is not ore containing radioactive nuclides;

c) No spillage of radioactive material occurs during transportation;

d) Radiation shielding is ensured.

15.2. If the surface contamination level on the contact surface and non-contact surface of SCO-I does not exceed ten times the limit specified in Point 2.11, exclusive use is not required.

15.3. For SCO-I, if the loose surface contamination level on the non-contact surface exceeds the limit specified in Point 2.12.1.a, measures must be taken to prevent radioactive material from falling into the transport vehicle.

16. Transportation of empty packaging

Empty packaging that has contained radioactive material must be transported as excluded items under the following conditions:

a) They must be well preserved and ensure tightness;

b) Packaging made of uranium or thorium must be wrapped in metal or other robust material;

c) The level of loose surface contamination inside the packaging must not exceed one hundred times the limit specified in Point 7.1;

d) Used labels must be covered or removed.

17. Transportation with other goods

17.1. No other items except necessary documentation and auxiliary equipment for the use of radioactive material may be included in the packages.

17.2. If a container previously used to transport radioactive material is to be temporarily stored or used to transport other goods, it must be decontaminated to a level below 0.4Bq/cm² for beta-emitting, gamma-emitting, and low-toxicity alpha-emitting substances or 0.04Bq/cm².² 18. Additional provisions for road transportation² for other alpha emitters.

18.1. Only automobiles may be used to transport radioactive material. Vehicles transporting radioactive material must be highly secure, undergo technical inspections twice a year, but the interval between two inspections must not exceed eight months, and before each shipment of radioactive material, an inspection must be conducted.

18.2. It is prohibited to transport passengers in vehicles carrying radioactive cargo except in cases of transporting excluded items.

18.3. Covered vehicles must be used when transporting water-permeable items.

18.4. Trailers may not be used to transport radioactive material.

18.5. Vehicles must bear placards as specified in Section 12, and the consignor is responsible for accurately affixing the placards.

18.6. When parking, a guard must be present unless the radiation level at all points of the vehicle is below 0.005mSv/h and the compartment containing the packages must be locked to prevent anyone from removing the packages. In this case, if there is no guard, the driver must leave a note with their name, address, and phone number for easy contact. Parking must be at least fifty meters away from populated areas, except when unloading into a warehouse.

18.7. The driver must be trained in radiation safety, trained in handling incidents during transportation, and equipped with appropriate dosimeter devices. If the driver does not meet these requirements, each shipment must have an escort (except in cases of transporting excluded items). The escort must meet these requirements.

19. Additional provisions for rail transportation

19.1. Radioactive cargo may be transported by freight trains or in luggage cars of passenger trains. Freight cars carrying radioactive cargo must have a roof when transporting water-permeable items.

19.2. Freight cars carrying radioactive cargo must bear placards as specified in Section 12 on the outside of both sides of the car. In cases where the car does not have sides and is carrying containers, the labels on the containers are sufficient. The consignor is responsible for accurately affixing the labels and placards.

19.3. When transporting (except in cases of transporting excluded items), an escort must be present. The escort must be trained in radiation safety, trained in handling incidents during transportation, and equipped with appropriate dosimeter devices.

19.3. When transporting (except for exempted consignments), there must be an escort. The escort must be trained in radiation safety, instructed on handling incidents during transportation, and equipped with appropriate dosimetry devices.

20. Additional provisions for postal transportation

20.1. Parcels sent through postal services must have an activity not exceeding 1/10 of the value specified in Table 1 of Appendix I for excluded items.

20.2. Packages must be labeled with white stickers clearly stating "radioactive material."

20.3. The name and address of the recipient must be written on the outer surface of the package with the requirement that the package be returned if there is no recipient.

20.4. The name, address of the sender, and contents of the package must be recorded on the packaging.

IV. RESPONSIBILITY FOR RADIATION SAFETY

21. Responsibilities of the Sender

21.1. The sender has the responsibility to ensure radiation safety during the transportation of radioactive materials from the stage of packaging inspection, item packing, surface decontamination (if necessary), sealing, labeling until handing over the radioactive package to the carrier. The sender must prepare packages in accordance with the provisions of this Circular, relevant standards for safe transportation of radioactive materials issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology, and other regulations concerning cargo transportation.

21.2. The sender must attach a transport document to each consignment containing the following information:

a) The name used for shipping as specified in Table 6 of Appendix I;

b) United Nations classification number: "7";

c) United Nations number for radioactive material as specified in Table 6 of Appendix I written after the word "UN";

d) Name or nuclear symbol of the radioactive substance; for mixtures of nuclei, a suitable general name or list of the most important nuclei;

đ) Description of the chemical and physical form of the radioactive substance or simply state "special form radioactive material," "low dispersible radioactive material" as appropriate;

e) Maximum activity of the radioactive nucleus, unit being Bq with appropriate prefix (kBq, MBq...);

f) Package category: either I-White, or II-Yellow, or III-Yellow;

g) Transport index (only for II-Yellow, III-Yellow);

h) Number issued by the competent authority of the producing country in the approval certificate (for special form radioactive material, low dispersible radioactive material, exclusive transportation, package design);

i) For consignments consisting of packages within containers, detail the contents of each package inside the container. If the packages are removed from a container at an intermediate unloading point, appropriate transport documents must be prepared;

k) If the consignment is transported exclusively, note "exclusive transportation";

l) Total activity of the consignment expressed as a multiple of A₂ for LSA-II, LSA-III, SCO-I, SCO-II.

21.3. The sender must record a declaration in the transport document with the following content:

"I hereby declare that the goods in the consignment are accurately and fully described, classified, packed, marked, labeled, and comply with the transportation conditions by... (specify the mode of transport) as prescribed by current laws and international regulations (if the consignment passes through another country)." Clearly state the date...month...year...and sign.

21.4. The sender must notify the carrier in writing within the transport document of the necessary requirements including at least the following points:

a) Additional requirements for cargo arrangement, storage, loading, and unloading of packages, including special storage for safe heat dispersion;

b) Restrictions on modes of transport and necessary instructions during transportation;

c) Methods for handling incidents and accidents involving the consignment.

22. Responsibilities of the Carrier

22.1. In addition to current regulations on cargo transportation, the carrier may only accept transportation when:

a) All declarations, approval certificates, and transportation permits as required by law and transport guidelines are complete;

b) Carefully inspect the packages, consignments, and containers to match the declarations and comply with the provisions of this Circular. If discrepancies are found, they have the right to refuse transportation and record it in a report sent to all relevant parties (sender, receiver) and the competent authority.

22.2. The carrier is responsible for ensuring radiation safety throughout the transportation and intermediate storage processes.

23. Customs Inspection, Supervision, and Management

23.1. Customs may only open and inspect the contents of packages containing radioactive material if there is suspicion of illegal goods inside.

23.2. The opening and inspection of radioactive packages must involve representatives of the competent authority and be conducted in a location ensuring radiation safety, equipped with appropriate radiation detection tools.

23.3. Any package opened according to regulations must be resealed to its original condition before being transported to the recipient.

24. Unclaimed Radioactive Packages

Unclaimed radioactive materials must be stored in a secure location and promptly reported to the competent authority for guidance on resolution.

25. Transportation Permit for Radioactive Materials

25.1. The sender must apply for a transportation permit before sending the goods. In the case of imported radioactive materials, the importer must apply for a transportation permit before receiving the goods. The application for a transportation permit includes:

a) Application for transportation of radioactive materials (Appendix III Form 1);

b) Declaration of specific characteristics of radioactive materials (Appendix III Form 2);

c) Relevant documents related to the package (type of package, package certificates, radioactive material certificates);

d) Plan for ensuring radiation safety during the transportation of radioactive materials (as stipulated in Section 3);

đ) Emergency and accident prevention plan (as stipulated in Section 4).

Applications for a transportation permit for radioactive materials should be submitted to the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Control Department of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

25.2. Within 75 days from the date of receipt of the application and supporting documents for the permit, the Ministry of Science and Technology will review the application and supporting documents for the permit and issue or deny the permit. In the event of denial, the Ministry of Science and Technology will notify the organization or individual who applied for the permit in writing.

25.3. Organizations and individuals applying for a transportation permit for radioactive materials must pay fees and charges as prescribed by law.

26. Handling Incidents and Accidents During Transportation of Radioactive Materials

26.1. When an incident or accident occurs during transportation, the escort or driver of the vehicle must take the following steps:

a) Immediately notify the public security agency and local authorities where the incident or accident occurs; the agency issuing the radioactive material transport permit; the consignor; the carrier;

b) Move victims (if any) away from the incident or accident site (downwind direction) to provide first aid and transport them to the nearest medical facility;

c) Check for fire and explosion risks and take measures to address them if necessary;

d) Isolate civilians from the incident or accident area at a distance of 50 meters to 200 meters and prevent unauthorized persons from entering this area.

26.2. Upon receiving information about an incident or accident, relevant parties as specified in Point 26.1 must immediately dispatch staff with necessary equipment to the scene to handle and mitigate consequences according to the pre-planned plan (as stipulated in Section 4). Depending on the severity of the incident or accident, appropriate measures shall be taken as follows:

a) Establish an emergency response team for the incident or accident;

b) Conduct radiation surveys, delineate the affected area to carry out handling tasks and restore the initial state;

c) Decontaminate the area where the incident or accident occurred, the transport vehicle, cargo, people, clothing, protective equipment;

d) Test water sources and food;

đ) Protect drainage systems;

e) Identify individuals overexposed to radiation for health monitoring;

g) Investigate the cause and prepare a report on the incident or accident;

26.3. Immediately after an accident occurs, the carrier must submit a detailed accident report to the competent authority and the public security agency.

26.4 When a radioactive cargo item is found missing, it must be reported immediately to:

a) The local public security agency;

b) The competent authority;

c) The consignor;

The carrier must provide the above agencies with necessary information to facilitate recovery of the lost item.

26.5. Depending on the cause, degree of violation, and consequences of the incident or accident, the consignor and carrier shall bear legal responsibility.

V. IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

27. Handling Violations

Organizations and individuals involved in radioactive material transport who violate the provisions of this Circular shall be subject to administrative penalties or criminal liability prosecution according to current laws, depending on the degree of violation and resulting consequences.

28. Effective Date

This Circular takes effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette. Previous regulations inconsistent with this Circular are hereby abolished. Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Science and Technology.