Packaging Decertification Checklist

This decertification checklist is to be used by the Department of Energy (DOE) program sponsor of a Type B or fissile material packaging certified by DOE or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), when continued certification of a packaging is no longer required.

  1. Determine units of the packaging in use and current location(s).  Identify any future uses after decertification (e.g., onsite use at INL).  The packaging custodian or the DOE National Transportation Program may be able to provide assistance in this effort.

  2. For an NRC-certified packaging, contact each registered user to notify them of your intention to decertify the packaging.  The list of registered users for each NRC packaging, NUREG–0383, Directory of Certificates of Compliance for Radioactive Materials Packages, has a limited distribution.  Contact mbennett@rampac.com for a list of NRC registered users.

  3. There are many potential uses for a decertified packaging including, but not limited to:

  1. onsite storage and/or transportation,
  2. waste disposal container at an authorized radioactive material disposal site or
  3. conversion to a Type A 7A for shipment in commerce.
If the decertified packaging will be used onsite or converted to another beneficial reuse, ensure the DOE and/or NRC data plate is removed, obliterated, or permanently covered and the package is clearly marked for onsite use or new specified use only.  Authorized disposal sites have allowed the use of certified packaging for disposal of waste material.  In these cases, the packaging to be decertified must be shipped to the disposal site prior to the decertification action.  The packaging should be disposed with the data plate and marking in place.  When disposal action is complete then the decertification process would also be complete.

  1. Request decertification by a memorandum to the DOE Headquarters Certifying Official, EM-60.  The request should come from either the sponsoring Headquarters program office or the cognizant Field Office manager.  The request must provide the information in Steps 1 and 3.  In addition, for NRC-certified packagings, the request must state the registered users have been notified of the intention to decertify (Step 2).

  2. The Headquarters Certifying Official will issue a decertification memo or forward a decertification request to the NRC, as appropriate.

Updated April 10, 2007