ENS 40528

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v t e ENS Event
14:00 Jan 19, 2004
Title	Nih, Dhhs Reported the Loss of Six Vials of Tritiated Acetic Acid from Its National Institute on Drug Abuse
Event Description	{{#Wiki_filter:A vial box containing 10mCi tritiated acetic acid in each of six 1.5ml vials, held at -75�C for 22 months, was mistaken for a container of nonradioactive sample vials when its "Caution: Radioactive Materials" (CRAM) tape lost adhesion, separated from the vial box, and became obscured by accumulated frost. Although each of the 6 vials was labeled with a CRAM sticker noting the identity, activity, and inventory number assigned to its contents, these small stickers were not visible through the unopened box after prolonged storage. The container in question was mistakenly disposed of as biohazard waste, in a batch of approximately 50 boxes of identical size and appearance, all the rest of which contained nonradioactive samples. The container at issue was initially recognized as missing when the lab for which it was being stored requested that 2 of the 6 remaining vials be delivered from a repository maintained in a locked freezer under exclusive control of the licensee's Radiation Safety Officer (RSO). An extensive search of agency freezers was undertaken to rule out the possibility that the container in question had been inadvertently merged, after losing its label, with other sample collections. Once this possibility was eliminated, the RSO concluded that the item had entered the biohazard waste stream and had been incinerated at a medical waste incinerator. Upon notification, the incinerator operator indicated that its incinerator was equipped with a high efficiency acid emissions scrubber, which would be expected to retain tritiated acetic acid. Retained byproduct material was buried mixed with 5 tons of scrubber absorbent and 40 tons of incinerator ash, the daily amounts shipped by that facility. Among other steps taken to prevent recurrence, a large lockable multicompartment acrylic box was fabricated, with an internally mounted vinyl CRAM sign, for long-term ultracold storage of radioactive materials being held for future distribution. }}

ENS 40528 +/-
Where
National Institute On Drug Abuse Baltimore, Maryland (NRC Region 1)
License number:	19-09760-02
Organization:	National Institute On Drug Abuse
Reporting

10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii)
Time - Person (Reporting Time:+715.13 h29.797 days <br />4.257 weeks <br />0.98 months <br />)
Opened:	Peter Doob 09:08 Feb 18, 2004
NRC Officer:	Chauncey Gould
Last Updated:	Feb 18, 2004
40528 - NRC Website
v • d • e

v t e Emergency Notification System
National Institute On Drug Abuse with 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii)
WEEKMONTHYEAR2004-01-19T14:00:00 [Table view]
[ENS list for National Institute On Drug Abuse]

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