Container for transport of hazardous materials

1. A system for safely shipping a sample of radioactive material, the system comprising:

an inner container configured to store the sample;

a secondary container to accommodate the inner container;

at least one foam insert configured to cushion the inner container by substantially filling a space between the inner container and a first inside portion of the secondary container;

an outer container having a second inside portion lined at least partially with foam to transport the secondary container; and

a custom insert configured to cushion the secondary container by substantially filling a space between the secondary container and the second inside portion of the outer container.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner container, the secondary container, the at least one foam insert, the custom insert, and the outer container are configured to comply with testing required, for the shipping of an A 2 quantity of radioactive materials, by the Department of Transportation regulations for Hazardous Materials (49 C.F.R. §§ 100–178) and the International Air Transport Association Dangerous Goods regulations (Sections 5, 6, and 10) as said regulations existed on Sep. 17, 2003.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner container is made of glass.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one foam insert is made of high density polyethylene.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of foam inserts, and wherein the plurality of foam inserts is used to form layers to surround the inner container inside of the secondary container.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner container is a first inner container, the system further comprising a second inner container, and wherein the at least one foam insert is further configured to cushion the first inner container and the second inner container by substantially filling the space between the first inner container, the second inner container, and the first inside portion.

7. A method for safely shipping a sample of radioactive material, the method comprising:

placing the sample inside an inner container;

closing a lid of the inner container;

placing at least one foam insert into a secondary container;

inserting the inner container into the at least one foam insert inside of the secondary container, wherein the at least one foam insert substantially fills a first space between the inner container and the secondary container;

closing a lid of the secondary container;

placing a custom insert into an outer container, the custom insert configured to cushion the secondary container by substantially filling a second space between the outer container and the secondary container, the custom insert further having formed therein a cutout sized to fit the secondary container;

inserting the secondary container into the cutout in the custom insert;

closing the outer container; and

securing the outer container closed for shipping.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the inner container is made of glass.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one foam insert is made of high density polyethylene.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one foam insert is a plurality of foam inserts, and wherein placing at least one foam insert into a secondary container comprises layering the plurality of foam inserts to surround the inner container inside of the secondary container.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the inner container is a first inner container, the method further comprising inserting a second inner container into the at least one foam insert inside of the secondary container, wherein the at least one foam insert substantially fills a third space between the first inner container, the second inner container, and the secondary container.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inner container is configured to withstand an internal pressure of 95 kPa.

13. A kit for radioactive sample packaging, the kit comprising:

a first plurality of inner containers of a first size;

a second plurality of inner containers of a second size different from the first size, each inner container of the first and second pluralities of inner containers configured to store a radioactive sample;

a plurality of secondary containers, each of the plurality of secondary containers having an inner dimension;

a first plurality of stackable foam inserts, each of the first plurality of stackable foam inserts having at least one hole sized to fit one of the first plurality of inner containers;

a second plurality of stackable foam inserts, each of the second plurality of stackable foam inserts having at least two holes, each of the at least two holes sized to fit one of the second plurality of inner containers;

a third plurality of stackable foam inserts, each of the third plurality of stackable foam inserts having no holes formed therein;

wherein each of the plurality of secondary containers is configured to enclose a first stack and a second stack and at least one of the third plurality of stackable foam inserts, the first stack comprising at least one of the first plurality of inner containers and at least one of the first plurality of stackable foam inserts, the second stack comprising at least two of the second plurality of inner containers and at least one of the second plurality of stackable foam inserts, such that the at least one of the first plurality of stackable foam inserts, the at least one of the second plurality of stackable foam inserts, and the at least one of the third plurality of stackable foam inserts substantially fill the space between the at least one of the first plurality of inner containers, the at least two of the second plurality of inner containers, and the inner dimension,

an outer container having an inside portion lined at least partially with foam to transport at least one of the plurality of secondary containers; and

a custom insert configured to cushion the at least one of the plurality of secondary containers by substantially filling a space between the at least one of the plurality of secondary containers and the inside portion of the outer container.

14. The kit of claim 13 , wherein each stackable foam insert of the first, second, and third pluralities of stackable foam inserts has an outer dimension corresponding to the inner dimension.

15. The kit of claim 13 , wherein the first size is a container volume selected from the group consisting of: two hundred fifty milliliters, one hundred twenty-five milliliters, sixty milliliters, forty milliliters, and twenty milliliters.

16. The kit of claim 13 , wherein the second size is a container volume selected from the group consisting of: two hundred fifty milliliters, one hundred twenty-five milliliters, sixty milliliters, forty milliliters, and twenty milliliters.

17. The kit of claim 13 , wherein the custom insert comprises one or more slots configured to accept an ice pack.

18. The kit of claim 13 , further comprising:

a third plurality of inner containers of a third size;

a fourth plurality of stackable foam inserts, each of the third plurality of stackable foam inserts having at least one hole sized to fit one of the third plurality of inner containers;

wherein each of the plurality of secondary containers is further configured to enclose the at least one of the third plurality of stackable foam inserts and one or more stacks selected from the group consisting of: the first stack, the second stack, and a third stack,

wherein the third stack comprises at least one of the third plurality of inner containers and at least one of the fourth plurality of stackable foam inserts.

19. The kit of claim 18 , wherein the third size is the same as the first size.

20. The kit of claim 18 , wherein the third size is different from both the first size and the second size.