The following information was received via email:
On February 11, 2014, the RSO of Eisenhower Medical Center, LN2425-33, contacted [the California Department of Health, Radiologic Health Branch] RHB about a Bracco CardioGen Rb-82/Sr-82 generator that was packaged for shipment to the manufacturer for disposal. The package was left unattended/unsecured in an unrestricted area on February 10, 2013 between 1600 PST and 1800 PST awaiting [common carrier] pickup . The package was sealed with radioactive material labels. When the first technician arrived at the facility at approximately 0600 [PST], the box was missing and no paperwork from [the common carrier] had been left. [The common carrier] was contacted and they had no records of a pick-up. [The common carrier] has initiated an investigation.
The licensee reported the following information for the package:
Surface dose rate 19.4 mR/hr and 1 meter dose rate 323 microR/hr;
Surface wipe 713 dpm/100cm2; and
Total mCi 99.9 (3.60 GBq).
On February 12, 2014, the RSO contacted RHB and stated that someone from housekeeping placed the package in the dumpster which was picked up on February 11 and sent to the Riverside County Landfill. The landfill and Riverside County HAZMAT were informed. The licensee personnel then proceeded to the landfill to attempt to recover the package. The package has not been recovered as of this time.
California Report #: 021114
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