U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Licensee's Responsibility for Shipment of Waste and Radioactive Materials

HPPOS-194 PDR-9111210320

Title: Licensee's Responsibility for Shipment of Waste and

Radioactive Materials

See the letter from V. L. Miller to J. Mangusi

(Transnuclear, Inc.) dated August 1, 1986. NRC's general

policy is that the generator of radioactive contamination

and waste should be responsible for all onsite processing

and any shipments offsite. Therefore, NMSS has not

normally licensed service companies to possess waste at

power reactors.

In a letter dated June 26, 1986, it was asked whether

Transnuclear could obtain a license to possess contaminated

equipment at reactor sites for the purpose of turning the

radioactive material over to a carrier for shipment. NRC

general policy is that the generators of radioactive

contamination and waste should be responsible for all

onsite processing and any shipments offsite. NRC believes

that it is not in the interest of public health and safety

to divide this responsibility between generators and

service companies because the consequences of any accidents

or problems associated with contamination and waste could

be aggravated by questions of responsibility. Therefore,

NRC has not normally licensed service companies to possess

radioactive contamination or waste at power reactor sites.

Rather, any onsite service companies operate under the

reactor license, and the reactor licensee is responsible

for all onsite service activities and offsite shipments.

Regulatory references: 10 CFR 30

Subject codes: 9.0, 11.3

Applicability: All