Radioactive Materials

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) completed an agreement with the State of Minnesota to assume part of the agency’s regulatory authority over certain radioactive materials in the state. On March 31, 2006, Minnesota became the 34th state to sign such an agreement with the NRC.

Under the agreement, the NRC has transferred to Minnesota the responsibility for licensing, rulemaking, inspection and enforcement activities for: (1) radioactive materials produced as a result of processes related to the production or utilization of special nuclear material (SNM); (2) uranium and thorium source materials; and (3) SNM in quantities not sufficient to form a critical mass.

The NRC transferred approximately 170 licenses, most for medical and industrial uses of radioactive material, to Minnesota’s jurisdiction. The NRC retained jurisdiction over a number of activities identified in 10 CFR Part 150, including regulation of commercial nuclear power plants and federal agencies using certain nuclear material in the state. In addition, NRC retained authority for the review, evaluation and approval of sealed sources and devices containing certain nuclear materials manufactured in Minnesota and distributed throughout the country.

Radioactive Materials Rule Making Information

The majority of the Radioactive Materials Rules, Chapter 4731, that were adopted in January of 2005 and amended in 2007 were consistent with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. On March 2, 2009, in addition to incorporating rules required by the NRC, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) adopted changes to remove language that conflicted with standard practices as well as rules that address issues such as survey and decay-in-storage records, leak test requirements, and dose calibrator tests.

The Radioactive Materials Unit is now considering rulemaking to:

• correct errors;
• address inconsistencies;
• remove redundant language; and
• re-institute rules for the control of aerosols and gases

The Radioactive Materials Unit is also considering rules pertaining to certification of Nuclear Medicine Technologist. Now that there are certification requirements for X-ray Operators, it seems logical to address certification of Nuclear Medicine Technologist. The rules that are being considered can be accessed using the link indicated below.

Chapter 4731 Rule Change (PDF: 1.26MB/27 pages)

Chapter 4731 Request for Comments (PDF: 12.7 KB/2 pages)

Rule Change Index with Cross Reference (PDF: 46.9 KB/2 pages)

Radioactive Materials Emergency Information

To report a radioactive materials incident, during business hour 8 - 4:30, Monday through Friday, call the Radioactive Materials Unit at 651-201-4400.

After hours, contact the Minnesota Duty Officer at 651-649-5451.

Be ready to provide the following information when contacting the Minnesota Duty Officer:

•     Telephone number for call-backs at the scene or facility;
•     Have local officials been notified of the incident – Fire Department, Police Department, etc;
•     Date, time and location of the incident;
•     Materials and quantity involved in the incident;
•     Responsible party of the incident – trucking firm name, property or business owner name, etc;
•     What kind of assistance is requested – informational, specialized team, etc;
•     What has happened or what is happening.

For questions about this page, please contact the Radioactive Materials Unit at health.ram@state.mn.us.