Protocol for the Medical Isotope Project
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Protocol for the Medical Isotope Project Canadian Light Source Inc. Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission February 2011 CNSC FILE # 2.03 E-Docs #3645315 TABLE OF CONTENTS Summary of Changes .................................................................................................................................... i Extent of the Protocol................................................................................................................................... ii 1. Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Objective.............................................................................................................................................. 1 3. Approach to Licensing........................................................................................................................ 1 4. Schedule ............................................................................................................................................... 2 5. Parties and Organizational Representatives..................................................................................... 2 6. Statement of Work.............................................................................................................................. 3 Project requirements.................................................................................................................................... 3 (a) Project description for determination of Environmental Assessment requirement .......................... 3 (b) Amendment of Class IB licence 4 (c) Authority for Class II licence 4 (d) Application for Class II construction licence ...................................................................................5 (e) Application for Class II operate-to-commission licence .................................................................. 5 (f) Application for Class II routine operation licence............................................................................ 6 7. Timelines.............................................................................................................................................. 6 8. Issue Resolution................................................................................................................................... 7 9. Reporting ............................................................................................................................................. 7 10. External Communications............................................................................................................. 8 11. Future Revisions of the Protocol................................................................................................... 8 12. Agreement....................................................................................................................................... 9 Appendix A: Relevant Extracts from draft Regulatory Guide G-289, Class II Isotope Production Accelerator Licence Application Guide Appendix B: Deliverables Summary of Changes Revision Change Date 1 Original draft version December 20, 2010 2 Draft incorporating December 22, 2010 comments by Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission staff and Canadian Light Source Inc. 3 Initial version for approval January 7, 2011 - i- Extent of the Protocol This protocol is essentially administrative in nature. Nothing in this protocol is to be construed or interpreted as affecting the authority, jurisdiction and discretion of the Commission or the Designated Officer in any assessment of any application for licensing purposes under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA). Nothing in this protocol fetters the powers of the Commission, Designated Officers or Inspectors who are respecting regulatory decisions or taking regulatory action for the purposes of the NSCA, transparently and independent of any undue influence. - ii- Protocol for the Medical Isotope Project 1. Introduction On October 15, 2010, the Government of Canada announced further efforts to diversify Canada’s supply sources of the medical isotope technetium-99 (Tc-99m) through its Non- reactor-based Isotope Supply Contribution Program (NISP). The program committed $35 million over two years to invest in research, development and demonstration of non- reactor-based technologies for producing this isotope. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) selected four proposals to participate, one of which was from Canadian Light Source Incorporated (CLSI). The CLSI proposal involves the production of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) from a photo- neutron process on 95%-enriched molybdenum-100, using the nuclear reaction Mo-100 (γ, n) Mo-99. The photon beam would be produced using an electron linear accelerator, and the activated Mo-99 target would be processed to yield the daughter product Tc-99m. CLSI proposes to install a Class II 35-MeV linear accelerator within its existing Class IB nuclear facility perimeter, adjacent to the 250-MeV linear accelerator used as an injector for its synchrotron operations. The hot cells for processing the medical isotopes would be installed adjacent to the 35-MeV accelerator, also on the Class IB site. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) would have direct regulatory oversight of the proposed activities. A series of licensing steps is required to allow operation of the 35-MeV linear accelerator and the production and processing of the Mo-99. This document formally outlines the requirements for each of these steps. 2. Objective The protocol’s objective is to provide a framework within which CLSI and CNSC staff will prepare the information needed by the Commission or the Designated Officer (DO) to assess the Medical Isotope Project for licensing purposes. It also establishes the administrative framework, milestones and service standards for licensing activities related to the project. 3. Approach to Licensing To fully understand the responsibilities for safety and accountability, and to serve the Canadian public, both the CNSC and CLSI recognize the importance of well-planned and coordinated work. Both organizations recognize the complexities of the matter and agree to cooperate in ensuring that timelines and commitments are met. - 1- 4. Schedule The schedule set out in this protocol aligns with the timeline set out under the terms and conditions established by NRCan for the delivery of the medical isotope Tc-99m under the NISP (i.e., an end date of March 31, 2012). The Medical Isotope Project includes the following licensing phases: • amendment of the CLSI Class I particle accelerator operating licence PA1OL-02.03/2012, to allow for the necessary modifications to the CLSI Class I facility • issuance of a construction licence for the proposed Class II nuclear facility, which would comprise the new 35 MeV accelerator and associated processing hot cells • issuance of an operating licence to commission the Class II facility • issuance of a routine Class II facility operating licence, which would include authorization to process medical isotopes. The project schedule considers the time required by CNSC staff to review the technical information submitted by CLSI in support of these steps, as well as the lead-time notices required by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Rules of Procedure. All milestones were established based on several assumptions, some of which relate to activities of project participants who are not signatories to this protocol. Should events unfold differently from what is assumed in this protocol, milestones will be revised according to the processes outlined in this document. 5. Parties and Organizational Representatives The parties to the protocol are as follows: CLSI: Owned by the University of Saskatchewan, CLSI is a non-profit corporation that operates Canada’s national synchrotron facility. CLSI is the CNSC licensee for this facility and has appointed its Executive Director, Josef Hormes, as the signatory to this protocol, on its behalf. The CNSC: The CNSC has regulatory and statutory responsibilities under the NSCA and its regulations, and is the responsible authority for the regulatory oversight of CLSI. On its behalf, the CNSC has appointed Ramzi Jammal, Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, Regulatory Operations Branch, as the signatory to this protocol. Each party will identify alternate representatives if primary representatives are unavailable. - 2- For the purposes of this protocol, CLSI will be represented by its: • Director of Accelerators (position held by Mark de Jong), for matters of governance Telephone: 306-657-3532 Email: [email protected] • Manager of Health and Safety & Environment (position held by Mohamed Benmerrouche), for matters related to implementation. Telephone: 306-657-3514 Email: [email protected] For the purposes of this protocol, the CNSC will be represented by its: • Director, Accelerators and Class II Facilities Division, (position held by Kavita Murthy), for matters of governance Telephone: 613-993-7853 Email: [email protected] • CLSI Project Manager (position held by Jacinthe Plante, Physics Specialist, Accelerators and Class II Facilities Division), for matters related to implementation Telephone: 613-993-7876 Email: [email protected] 6. Statement of Work Project requirements The project requires the installation of a 35-MeV linear accelerator and hot cells for isotope processing.