The following report was received from the State of
California via email:
[The] Division Manager from Burrtec Waste Industries, Inc., reported on November 15, 2019 that his route truck activated the radiation alarm at Sun Valley Paper Stock, Inc.
Truck No. 1087, License Plate No. 7Y45540 driven by [a] Burrtec employee arrived at the transfer station at about 1130 PST on the same day. [A California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Health Physicist] arrived at the transfer station around 1430 PST and met with [the] Plant Manager. Using the FLIR Identifinder 2, the nuclide was identified as Ra-226. [The CDPH Health Physicist] contacted [the] Director of Radiation Management about the incident and the nuclide that was identified. Before [the CDPH Health Physicist] left he made arrangements with [the Plant Manager] that he will be back on Tuesday November 19, 2019 to dump the entire contents of the transfer truck to locate the radiation source and take custody of it.
On November 19, 2019, [a CDPH and a Los Angeles County Public Health (LACPH), Health Physicist] arrived at the transfer station at 1000 PST. The entire contents of the truck was dumped, and surveyed. Using the FLIR Identifinder 2 [the Health Physicists] were able to locate the radioactive source containing Ra-226. The radioactive source was a piece of metallic object. It was placed in a gallon size ziploc bag. Using a Ludlum 26-3, no contamination was noted. Using a Victoreen 451, background was 5 microR/hr, the gross exposure rate from surface was 54mR/hr, 4.8mR/hr at 1 ft, and 0.48mR/hr at 3 ft and calculated activity of 544 microCuries. The rest of the trash was surveyed and no other sources were noted. An authorization to bury form was emailed to [the Plant Manager] on the same day for the rest of the load. [The] LACPH Health Physicist took possession of the metal item and transported it to a secure location facility.
California incident No.: 111519