Code of Practice for Unsealed Radioactive Material: ORS C11

The Code of Practice for Unsealed Radioactive Material: ORS C11 2020 (ORS C11 2020) is currently in force. The code of practice came into force on 31 July 2020 and was issued under section 86 of the Radiation Safety Act 2016 (the Act).

ORS C11 2020 supersedes the code of safe practice for the use of unsealed radioactive material (CSP 1). Appendix 4 of ORS C11 2020 introduces clear disposal obligations to ensure that the International Atomic Energy Agency’s acceptable values for disposal (basic safety standards) can be ensured in New Zealand.

In 2025, ORS C11 2020 was reviewed under section 90 of the Act. The review findings and proposed next steps can be found at Consultation on the Code of Practice for Unsealed Radioactive Material: ORS C11 2020.

ORS C11 2020 sets out the technical requirements that a person must comply with in order to comply with the fundamental requirements set out in sections 9 to 12 of the Act.

The code of practice applies to any person who deals with unsealed radioactive material that is within the scope of the code of practice. The scope of ORS C11 2020 is set out in the code of practice. To ‘deal with’ unsealed radioactive material that is within the scope of ORS C11 2020 means to: manufacture, possess, control, manage, use, store, export, import, sell, supply, discharge, or dispose of unsealed radioactive material, or to carry out any other activity or practice involving unsealed radioactive material. 

The code of practice also applies to preparing unsealed radioactive material for use (dispensing) and to practices involving the disposal of equipment that has come into contact with unsealed radioactive material.