The following is a synopsis of information received via email:
In early September, the radiation safety officer (RSO) sent a leak test kit to the Center for Applied Isotopes Department to smear test the gas chromatograph. He was informed that the gas chromatograph had been declared "surplus" on March 1, 2021. The Surplus Department decided it had no economic value and sent it to the state surplus scrap metal dealer. The device was shredded and pulverized with other scrap equipment from the university. It is believed the Ni-63 source was shredded with the equipment. The RSO did not find out that the source was missing until 6 months after it was shredded. Exposure risk is considered low because it would need to be ingested. The RSO has sent a letter to the Surplus department to remind their employees to contact the RSO before processing surplus equipment that may contain radioactive materials. The RSO has also reminded University researchers to check their equipment to make sure they have the appropriate signage.
Georgia incident number: 46
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