NRC AMENDS REGULATIONS ON EXPORT AND IMPORT 

OF NUCLEAR EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is amending its regulations to improve the agency’s 

regulatory framework for the export and import of nuclear equipment, material and radioactive 

waste. In addition to making clarifications, updates and corrections to several provisions, the rule 

allows imports of sources under a general license and revises the definition of radioactive waste 

for the purposes of export and import. 

 The amendments, in a final rule published July 28 in the Federal Register, remove the 

requirements for licensees to obtain a specific license before importing Category 1 and Category 

2 quantities of radioactive materials listed in Appendix P to 10 CFR 110. NRC or Agreement 

State licensees must be authorized to possess these sources domestically in order to import them 

under a general license. Importers are still required to provide notification of the import prior to 

shipment. (Thirty-seven states have agreements with the NRC under which the states license and 

regulate radioactive material.) 

 The NRC is making this change because of enhancements made to the domestic materials 

licensing and regulatory framework since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Those security 

enhancements include background investigations, fingerprint checks and trustworthiness and 

reliability checks of personnel allowed unescorted access to risk-significant materials, physical 

intrusion barriers, coordination with local law enforcement and enhanced security measures 

during transport. 

 In addition, the National Source Tracking System (NSTS), implemented in 2009, 

provides “cradle-to-grave” tracking of Category 1 and Category 2 radiation sources. Licensees 

are required to report to the system within 24 hours receipt of any new tracked source and note 

where the source came from. With the NSTS in place and preshipment notifications, there is 

much more information about imported sources available to the NRC staff. 

 The final rule revises the definition of radioactive waste to make the export and import 

requirements more consistent with domestic licensing requirements. The changes clarify that 

exporting or importing radioactive material for recycling, waste treatment, or other waste 

management processes that generates waste for disposal requires a specific export or import 

license. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 

Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 

E-mail: opa.resource@nrc.gov

Site: http://www.nrc.gov

No. 10-133 July 28, 2010
 A proposed rule outlining these amendments was published in the Federal Register on 

June 23, 2009. Public comments on the proposed rule are discussed in the current Federal 

Register notice, which can be found online at this address: 

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-18219.pdf. 

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