In reviewing the EPRI draft report, NIF became concerned that the test parameters for the particle barrier performance of OREX appeared non-statistical, yet the results were the basis for comparisons of OREX protective qualities to launderable garments.

NIF asked IBR, the lab engaged for the independent barrier testing to review the SGS results provided in the EPRI report. They concluded that the SGS data collection method was non-compliant and that the conclusions drawn from it could not be reliable. Click here to view their written opinion (Adobe PDF).

Also, while physical properties relating to strength were evaluated by EPRI on the PVA film used for bags, there was no data provided for the PVA non-woven garment fabric. Because fabric strength is an essential property of nuclear protective clothing, NIF elected to perform a battery ASTM-compliant tests to determine how OREX  performed against launderable fabrics.

The OREX protective garment is under evaluation as a replacement for launderable woven textile garments. Among these, 65/35 polyester/cotton and 100% nylon dominate use at U.S. nuclear facilities. Although the test results include data on disposable alternatives such as Tyvek, NIF has not summarized this data in graph form.

As discussed above, there are two general considerations for protective clothing fabrics: physical strength and barrier performance. Click the link to Test Results for graph summaries of the test results. Images of the original reports are also available.