The following information was received from the
Washington State via E-mail:
Location of Event: The former Pendleton Flour Mills / Fisher Flour Mills site (located on Harbor Island, at 13th Avenue Southwest and Klickitat Avenue Southwest, Seattle, Washington).
This is to report a missing [Generally Licensed] GL radioactive material device and its radioactive source (one Kay-Ray/Sensall moisture analyzer, device model 7062P, housing serial number 9954, source serial number 9310V, containing 50 millicuries cesium-137 (as of May 31, 1979). The last known location of the device / radioactive source is the former Pendleton Flour Mills / Fisher Flour Mills site (located on Harbor Island, at 13th Avenue Southwest and Klickitat Avenue Southwest, Seattle, Washington). Presumed missing after May 26, 2000 (date of last apparently reliable inventory confirmation from Fisher).
The apparent cause is loss of physical control of general license material during sale of mill site; or possibly inadequate documentation of proper disposal / transfer of the device / radioactive source. Since 1979 the device / radioactive source was reportedly located at that site. Washington State sales records indicate that Pendleton bought the mill site from Fisher on April 24, 2001, and that King County bought the mill site from Pendleton on July 28, 2003. [Office of Radiation Protection] ORP discovered the discrepancy during GL registration for material indicated to be on site. After an extensive investigation, ORP can not determine the status of the material.
Corrective Actions:
Pendleton and Fisher replied to ORP March 18, 2005, notice of noncompliance letter for potential loss of control of the device. The replies were unacceptable since they are inconsistent and do not confirm the location of the material. Fisher reported they transferred said device / source to Pendleton; and Pendleton reported that Fisher removed said device / source). The ORP April 18, 2005, noncompliance letter directs Pendleton and Fisher to jointly conduct a thorough and exhaustive physical search of the entire mill site, since both still have spaces there, and for Pendleton and Fisher to perform additional interviews of current and former company employees who may know more about the status of the device. Pendleton and Fisher must cooperate with ORP to provide ORP with a written and acceptable reply identifying the disposition of the missing device.
Event Number WA-05-014, missing Generally Licensed (GL) device.