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Radioactive Materials Transported by Cargo Ship
RadTown USA Topics
This page describes radioactive materials being transported by cargo ships into the United States.
On this page:
Overview
Almost half of incoming cargo to the United States arrives by containers onboard ships. Within the U.S., American merchant marine ships provide essential services to 41 states. While the chances of a transportation accident are small, an accident can result in expensive cleanup or unnecessary exposure of workers or the public. Since we cannot predict transportation accidents, strict packaging requirements are used in the shipment of radioactive material to ensure that even if there is an accident, radioactive material spills or releases do not occur.
Radioactive materials that are used in medical applications – radio pharmaceuticals and radioisotopes – are the most frequently shipped radioactive materials in the United States. Other shipments include low- and high-level radioactive waste; uranium fuel for nuclear power plants; and various gauges and devices for industrial, medical and academic institutions.
Who is protecting you
The States
In the United States, each state has programs on radiation protection and on the transportation of hazardous materials.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security(DHS)
The DHS Office of Customs and Border Protection operates programs to monitor U.S. Ports of Entry for radioactive material that could pose a threat to the national security.
The DHS Coast Guard is responsible for investigating any ship at sea that has been identified as potentially posing a radiation threat.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC)
NRC is responsible for protecting the public from the effects of radiation from nuclear reactors, materials, and waste facilities. Regulating the safety of transported radioactive material is the joint responsibility of NRC and the Department of Transportation (DOT). NRC oversees the design and use of special packaging for shipping radioactive materials.
U.S. Department of Transportation(DOT)
DOT oversees transportation safety and security requirements by highway, rail, air and sea. DOT’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHM) issues regulations on the shipment of hazardous materials. Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations defines and classifies hazardous materials, outlines safety procedures for shipping, and provides strict specifications for containers and packaging of the hazardous materials.
What you can do to protect yourself
Stringent rules apply to the transportation of radioactive materials by cargo containers, and technology continues to enhance the safety measures being used to keep the public safe. With these rules and safety measures, the risk to the public is very small.
If you do suspect radioactive material may be potentially released from a transportation accident or breached packaging, there are three basic ways to limit unnecessary exposure:
- Time: Limit the time spent around the radiation source.
- Distance: Increase distance from the radiation source.
- Shielding: Increase the shielding from a radiation source with protective barriers such as walls and buildings. Alpha radiation can be effectively shielded with something as thin as a piece of paper or plastic bag while gamma radiation requires barriers as thick as lead-lined walls
Resources
| International Response 17 October 2007 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency This page provides information on EPA’s work with international organizations such as the UN and the International Atomic Energy Agency, to secure uncontrolled radioactive sources and to prevent future losses. |
| EPA
Radiation Glossary, Radiation Warning Symbol 30 November 2004 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency This glossary shows the officially prescribed symbol that must be displayed where certain quantities of radioactive materials are present or where certain doses of radiation could be received. |
State Radiation Programs
 11 April 2006.Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors This page provides links to state radiation programs. |
| Radiation
Portal Monitors Safeguard America from Nuclear Devices and
Radiological Materials U.S. Department of Homeland Security,Customs and Border Protection This page describes Customs and Border Protection's program to monitor incoming shipments of scrap metal to prevent the entry of radioactively contaminated materials. |
| Detailed Requirements for Radioactive Materials: Chapter 1, Subchapter C, Part 176, Subpart M.
28 August 2001.U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Hazardous Materials Safety |
| Office of Environmental
Management, Office of Transportation March 1999. U.S. Department of Energy This site provides information on DOE’s field operations, maximum support and transportation expertise possible to promote site clean-up operations, transportation risk reduction and compliance with all applicable regulations. It includes information on transporting both radioactive and non-radioactive hazardous materials. |
| NRC:
Nuclear Materials Transportation November 2004. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission This site provides requirements for the design and manufacture of packages for radioactive materials established by NRC. |