{"operation":"document","citation":"11-0126","title":"Sandia National Laboratories — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2011-10-19","effective_on":null,"summary":"11-0126 response to Sandia National Laboratories concerning 173.436.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0126.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0126.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0126","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2011/110126.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Ave.. S.E,\nWashington, DC 20590\nOCT 1 9 2011\nMr. Michael W. Enghauser\nSandia National Laboratories\nP.O. Box 5800 MS 1151\nAlbuquerque, NM 87185\nRef. No. 11-0126\nDear Mr. Enghauser:\nThis responds to your May 19, 2011 request for clarification of the Hazardous Materials\nRegulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to characterization of material\ncontaining depleted uranium. In your letter, you provide the activity concentration and\nconsignment activity values for each radionuclide contained in the mixture. You provide two\nmethods for determining whether the material in question meets the definition ofa Class 7\n(Radioactive) material under the HMR. The two methods ofcharacterization, your questions,\nand PHMSA's response are summarized as follows:\nMethod 1: The actual activity concentration and consignment activity of the material using\nthe parent radionuclides (U-238, U-235, U-234; see Table 2 ofincoming letter) were\ncompared to the activity concentration for exempt material and the activity limit for exempt\nconsignment values in § 173.436. The result of the calculation showed that both the activity\nconcentration and the consignment activity of the material in question are below the exempt\nthresholds specified in § 173.436.\nMethod 2: The actual activity concentration and consignment activity ofthe material using the\nvalue for depleted uranium (see Table 3 of incoming letter) were compared to the activity\nconcentration for exempt material and the activity limit for exempt consignment values in\n§ 173.436. The result of the calculation showed that the material in question exceeds the\nthresholds specified in § 173.436 for depleted uranium.\nQ1 : Should the material in question be regulated as a Class 7 material based on the calculation\nmethods summarized above and outlined in the incoming letter?\nAI: The shipper may ship the material in accordance with the result of either characterization\nmethod under the HMR. Method 2 is the more conservative method and results in the material\nmeeting the definition of a Class 7 material. Method 1 is a more detailed calculation that\nresults in the material being exempt from Class 7 regulations.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ2: Is it correct to sum the parent isotopic uranium values as shown in Table 3 ofthe\nincoming letter for comparison to the depleted uranium limits specified in § 173.436?\nA2: Yes.\nI hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this office\nat (202) 366-8553.\nS(£'s;;:~\nBen Supko\nActing Chief, Standards Development\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\n[&1 Sandia National Laboratories\nOperated for the U.S. Department of Energy by\nSandia Corporation\nMichael W. Enghauser P.O. Box 5800\nPrincipal Member of Technical Staff Albuquerque, NM 87185-1151\nRadioactive and Mixed Waste Management\nPhone: (505) 284·6116\nFax: (505) 284-6166\nInternet: mwengha@sandia.gov\nS I C.J1 tvt fa u.b\n~ 173·fD3\nMay 19,2011 ~ I I 3. i..../:3~\n-gAM\nU.S. DOT 11- 0 Ihlp\nPHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nAttn: PHH-lO\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.\nWashington, DC 20590--0001\nSUbject: Activity Concentration Limit for Exempt Material (ACEM) and Activity Limit for\nExempt Consignment (ALEC) Fraction Determinations for Depleted Uranium\nDear Sir or Madam,\nFor material containing depleted uranium (DU), meeting the 49 CFR 173.403 definition of DU, with the\nactivity concentrations and activities in consignment presented in Table 1, is it necessary to regulate the\nmaterial as radioactive material? Please review Table 2 and Table 3 which provide different\ndeterminations.\nIn addition, is it correct to sum the parent isotopic uranium values as shown in Table 3 for comparison to\nthe DU limits presented in 49 CFR 173.436?\nconcentrations and activities in consignment.\nSummation 7.634 7634\nExceptional Service in the National Interest\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nMay 19,2011\nPage 2 of2\nSubject: ACEM and ALEC Fraction Detenninations for Depleted Uranium\nU-238 10\n10000\nU-235 0.031 31 10\n10000\n0.003 0.003\nU-234 0.423 423 10\n10000\n0.042 0.042\nSummation 2.837 2837 0.284 0.284\nU-234 ACEM and ALEC conservatively set to minimum values.\nParent nuclides and their progeny included in secular equilibrium per 49 CFR 173.436 are listed below:\nU-238 Th-234, Pa·234m\nU-235 Th-231\nTable 3. Method showin\nDU\n2837 1000 2.84 2.84\nPlease feel free to contact me at (505) 284-6116 if you have any questions.\nSincerely,\n~w~\nMichael W. Enghauser\ncc:\nMS-1l51 Jeff Jarry, 04139\nMS-1149 Howard Seeley, 04139\nMS-1151 Beth Hanson, 04139\nMS-1122 Robert P Rivera, 10261\nMS-1122 Shawn Colborg, 10261","truncated":false,"body_characters":4703}