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1. Transport of radioactive materials: background
1.1 Materials transported
A wide variety of radioactive materials are transported at any given time throughout the world. The fuel cycle around nuclear power reactors accounts for most of the activity (in the radiological sense), but the largest number of packages involves radioisotopes for medical use. In practice, it is impossible to count the number of shipments: how, for example, can we count the movements of control sources? Delivery rounds to hospitals? Do we count transports, vehicles or packages? Should an empty but contaminated package be counted? Moreover, it is forbidden to divulge data on the transport of plutonium and MOX fuel (a mixture of uranium and plutonium oxides).
In France, estimates range from 400,000 to 900,000 parcels a year; worldwide,...
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Transport of radioactive materials: background
Packaging used in the light water nuclear reactor cycle
Bibliography
Websites
Société française d'énergie nucléaire (SFEN), GR21 files, Safety of radioactive materials transportation http://www.sfen.org/fr/societe/sureté/lenail.htm
World Nuclear Transport Institute (WNTI) French portal, fact sheets, information papers http://www.wnti.co.uk
...Events
PATRAM, International Symposium on Packaging and Transport of Radioactive Materials, held every three years (Miami in 2007, London in 2010). http://www.patram2010.org
Radioactive Materials Transport, an international conference held every three years in the UK (Manchester in 2009).
Directory
World Nuclear Transport Institute (WNTI), London http://www.wnti.co.uk
French Nuclear Energy Society (SFEN), technical section 14 transport http://www.sfen.org
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