At 1717 PDT on 04/29/04, the CA Licensee, Isotope Products Laboratory, Valencia, CA, Radiation Safety Officer notified a CA Radiation Control Program Officer by voicemail that a transport container containing several sealed sources totaling 50 millicuries of Cadmium-109 was shipped from Burbank, CA to Chile. The shipment was transported by air on Lan Chile Airlines from Los Angles International Airport to Chile. However, the aircraft landed in Brazil and the package was offloaded at the Brazilian airport. The Brazilian Customs Agents at the Brazilian Airport are on strike and the package is thought to be in a warehouse at the airport (location unknown). Lan Chile Airlines notified the International Air Transport Association. The transport container contains a sealed source comprised of several sealed sources in a ring configuration; the ring being only a holder for the sealed sources. The source is used for X-ray fluorescence.
The RSO plans to provide information on the packaging and labeling, transport index, surface reading, shipper, date/time shipped from Isotope Products Laboratory, leak tests, contact name/phone number at Lan Chile Airlines, Brazil Airport location, number of sources and activity of each source, time/date when package was determined to be missing and by whom.
There has been no press/media involvement. CA does not consider this event to be a threat to health and safety.
The licensee was notified of this event at 1510 PDT on 04/29/04. CA received the voicemail at 1100 PDT on 04/30/04.
CA plans to issue a written report to the NRC within 30 days.
- * * UPDATE PROVIDED AT 1842 EDT ON 04/30/04 FROM KAUFMAN TO JOLLIFFE * * *
The licensee reported to CA that the Brazilian Customs have the package in their possession.
Notified R4DO Charles Marschall and
NMSS EO Patricia Holahan.