The following information was received via fax:
Event location: 800 Phillips Road, Webster, NY 14580
Reported to [New York State Department of Health] NYS DOH [on] 11/17/2008. Twelve NRD static eliminators containing polonium 210 were inadvertently thrown out in March 2008. The total activity of all twelve sources would have been 334 microCuries in March 2008. They were most likely sent to Genesee Scrap and Tin Baling Co., Inc., at 80 Steel Street in Rochester as part of a large roll-off of assorted scrap. Attempts to locate the missing devices were fruitless. NRD has been contacted with the serial number information.
A written report received from Xerox November 17, 2008. Procedures have been modified to prevent recurrence. Xerox will inventory their sealed sources two times a year to prevent other losses. NRD has been instructed to send correspondence to Xerox RSO regarding shipment of devices instead of the Xerox end user. Incident Closed.
New York Event Report ID Number: NY - 11 - 04
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. For additional information go to
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf