The following report was received from the State via facsimile:
Precix [the licensee] called the Agency [the State] on 1/28/09 to report 2 missing static eliminator devices. A follow-up letter dated 1/29/09 was received on 1/30/09. The letter indicates the missing devices are 'NRD' model P-2021 devices having serial numbers A2DR562 and A2EZ592. The licensee reports that at the end of their one year useful life, the units were removed from the system along with others and set aside in preparation for returning them to NRD for disposal. The licensee states they have conducted several searches for the missing devices and have not had any success finding them. The licensee thinks the 2 units inadvertently got separated from the other units being held for return to NRD and were disposed off in the non-hazardous waste stream.
This model static eliminator typically contains approximately 10 millicuries of Po-210.
- * * UPDATE ON 2/26/09 AT 1453 FROM JOHN SUMARES TO KARL DIEDERICH * * *
The following report was received from the State via facsimile:
In a follow up telephone conversation with Precix, the Agency [the State] determined that the static eliminators became missing a few years prior to [the] Precix report of missing GL [Generally Licensed] devices to the Agency [the State]. Precix stated that corrective action as described above has been in place for a few years.
The Agency [the State] considers this event closed.
Informed R1DO (Cahill), FSME EO (Bubar), and ITLAB via e-mail.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than
IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as
moisture density gauges or thickness
gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks.