ENS 51101
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Apr 14, 2015 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Cs-137 Found in Waste Entering a Landfill |
| Event Description | The following report was received via e-mail:
On April 13, 2015, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] was notified by a landfill operator that material in a waste container set off their radiation alarms. The landfill provided a spectrum which showed the isotope as Cesium-137. An on-site investigation by this Agency confirmed the material to be dirt/mud contaminated with Cesium-137. The waste material at the landfill was isolated. The waste collection route sheet used to collect the waste was requested by the Agency. The Agency drove the route traveled by the collection vehicle using an RSI identifier in an attempt to locate the source of the contamination. The detector indicated the presence of radiation in a bar ditch along the intersection of two streets northeast of the City of Houston. Surveys conducted by the Agency identified a reading of 16 millirem on contact with the ground in one spot. Additional surveys indicated additional activity as far as 70 feet from the spot previously mentioned. The Agency received cost estimates from contractors to collect the material from both areas for proper disposal. The city of Houston had been contacted about the contamination and the steps that had been taken by the Agency. The City of Houston decided since the area of contamination was in their jurisdiction, they would be responsible for the remediation of the area. The Agency returned to the area on the evening of May 26, 2015, to inspect the area. The Agency discovered the road the bar ditch was running along had been closed by the city at both ends. There are no homes or businesses that require access to this section of road. The contractor was contacted on May 29, 2015. He stated they had begun work on remediating the area on May 21, 2015. He stated the road was blocked by the Houston City Works Department on that day. He stated they had dug down about 3 feet from the original surface of the ditch. He stated readings on contact at that location are 1 rem/hr. He stated they had come across a water line while they were digging and that it has restricted their use of tools. He stated that due to the dose rates they are seeing now (1 rem/hr) they are now using a low pressure water blaster to excavate the area. He stated they are sucking the water into barrels and monitoring the suction line for dose rates. He stated they would contact the state once the source has been located. On May 29, 2015, the Agency decided that due to the city closing the road to any access, the event should be reported to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Headquarters Operations Officer (HOO.) Event location: Near the intersection of Sunbury and Bacher Streets. Texas Event: I-9303
The following report was received via e-mail: "On April 13, 2015, the Agency was notified by a landfill operator that a load of waste had caused its radiation monitor to alarm. The operator provided a spectrum and the radioisotope was identified as cesium-137. An on-site investigation confirmed the material to be dirt/mud contaminated with cesium. Further investigation was initiated to find the source of the material. Using the waste collection vehicle's route sheets and the Agency's radiation detection equipment, the Agency identified the area where the mud had originated in a drainage ditch along the side of a street, which was within the city's easement. The waste material was isolated and a cost estimate was obtained for a contractor to remediate the area. The initial surface readings obtained in the ditch ranged from 430 microR/hr to 16 mR/hr. During remediation, the readings ranged up to 1Rem/hr and the depth of the material to be removed was within a few inches beneath the soil to a max depth of 14 feet in the most concentrated area. Site remediation was completed by the end of July 2015. The property was released for unrestricted use on September 1, 2015 after final soil samples were analyzed. The highest concentration of contamination, point of origin, was identified at a depth of approximately 14 feet below the ground surface. Ownership of the source of the radioactive material could not be determined. No violations were cited. File closed. Notified R4DO (Werner) and NMSS EVENTS NOTIFICATION via email. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Unknown Houston, Texas (NRC Region 4) | |
| Organization: | Texas Dept Of State Health Services |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+1092.18 h45.508 days <br />6.501 weeks <br />1.496 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Art Tucker 17:11 May 29, 2015 |
| NRC Officer: | Mark Abramovitz |
| Last Updated: | Oct 23, 2015 |
| 51101 - NRC Website | |
Unknown with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 572262024-07-15T12:59:00015 July 2024 12:59:00
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