(Please explain the last 2 columns of Radioactive Material Table 10.3.A.)
Q.
We fail to understand the two last columns of Table 10.3.A, namely, ”Activity concentration limit for exempt material (Bq/g)” and “Activity Limits for an exempt consignment (Bq)”. Kindly explain.  (28 Feb 19)
A.
DGR 10.3.2.1 Listed Single Radionuclides (b) and (c) refers to these two end columns of Table 10.3.A. The second from last column titled ”Activity concentration limit for exempt material (Bq/g)” means that if the activity of the radionuclide is less than the activity indicated for per gram of substance, it is exempted from following the regulation and is considered as a non-radioactive material.

The last coumn titled “Activity Limits for an exempt consignment (Bq)” means that if the activity of the shipment (the packages on one AWB) is less than the activity indicated, thence, the shipment is exempted from following the regulations and is considered as a non-radioactive shipment. Taking the first radionuclide Ac-225 on Table 10.3.A as an example, the substance limit per gram is 1 X 10 in the first power, i.e., 10 Bq. The shipment limit is 1 X 10 in the fourth power, i.e., 10,000 Bq.

Therefore, for Ac-225, if 1 gram has an activity of 10 Bq or more ( = 10,000 Bq or more per 1 kg) and the activity of the shipment is 10,000 Bq or more, the substance and the shipment are considered as radioactive material and the regulation applies. The criterion of both columns must apply. If it doesn’t reach the criterion of both columns, the substance and the shipment is non-radioative and the regulation does not apply. These two columns are for the shipper to determine whether the shipment is exempt or not. It has no direct bearing for the airlines.

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