Transport

Transport is a functional activity both for the use of sources of ionizing radiation in various sectors of activity (industrial, medical, scientific research) and for the exploitation of the properties of radioactive and fissile materials for the production of electricity from nuclear sources.

The transport activity can be divided into two macro-areas:

• transports that take place in the field of the so-called nuclear fuel cycle and, more generally, for the purposes of the operation of nuclear plants; such transports involve, in particular, materials such as uranium minerals, uranium oxide powders, uranium hexafluoride, non-irradiated fuel elements, irradiated fuel elements, waste from irradiated fuel reprocessing operations;
• transports that take place in the field of medical, industrial and research uses and which involve material such as sources in special form for irradiation of products and for open field gammagraphy, sources for geological prospecting, sources for industrial process control, sources for diagnostic use and therapeutic in special and non-special forms, waste from the installations in which they are produced.

In the case of Italy, transport relating to the nuclear fuel cycle is strictly connected to the implementation of decommissioning operations, with particular regard to the transfer abroad of nuclear materials and spent fuel (for the latter for reprocessing purposes) , as well as the movement of radioactive waste to/from plants located in Italy and abroad, for treatment and conditioning or disposal operations.

It is estimated that approximately 20 million packages containing radioactive materials are transported annually around the world, of which approximately 2 million in the European Union alone. However, the transport of radioactive material, which constitutes class 7 of dangerous goods according to the international classification, represents only a small fraction (about 2%) of shipments of all dangerous goods.

The majority of transport takes place in our country by road and air. The latter mode of transport is used for radioactive material consisting of isotopes with short half-lives used for medical purposes, in particular for radiodiagnostics.
Road transport is usually used to cover short distances between the places of production of radioactive sources and those of exchange (ports, airports) and between the latter and the final destination.
The maritime transport mode is used, in particular, for large quantities of materials used in the nuclear fuel cycle (uranium minerals, irradiated nuclear fuel) which are practically absent in Italy.

In the field of transport of radioactive and fissile material, the ISIN plays the role of Competent Authority for issuing the certifications required by national and international standards.

Furthermore, the ISIN:

• expresses technical opinions in relation to the objective aspects of nuclear safety and radiation protection for the consequent issuing of authorizations by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security:

           -  to the transport of radioactive materials (ex. Art. 43 Legislative Decree no. 101/2020);
            - to the collection and transport of radioactive waste (ex. Art. 56 Legislative Decree no. 101/2020);
            - to the shipment, for the purposes of treatment or disposal, of radioactive waste from/to foreign countries (ex. Articles 57 and 58 of Legislative Decree no. 101/2020);

• carries out inspection and supervisory activities in the transport of radioactive and fissile material (including monitoring the data communicated by operators on STRIMS);
• represents the Italian State in the context of the activities carried out by international organizations and the European Union for the transport of radioactive and fissile material;
• carries out support activities for the Administrations (Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, General Command of the Port Authority Corps) involved in the transport of radioactive materials. This activity concerns, in particular, participation in working groups coordinated by the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport for the drafting of the decrees implementing the Directives and Recommendations of the European Union and international agreements regarding the transport of dangerous goods.