The following information was received from the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency (Agency) via email:
Agency staff responded to a radiation monitor trip at a scrap metal recycling facility (SIMS Metal Management in Chicago) on 6/20/23 and identified an activated component from a high energy therapy device. The component is estimated to contain less than 1 microcurie of Co-60 and had an exposure rate of 100 microrem/hour on contact. The device originated from Varian Medical Systems and was decommissioned and transported by Legacy Transportation Services. Legacy is an Illinois radioactive materials licensee (IL-02445-01) that receives decommissioned Varian (and other low/high energy) devices and sorts the equipment for recoverable materials versus scrap. Radioactive components are to be identified and returned to Varian. This piece reportedly circumvented their radiation screening process. The licensee was contacted by the Agency and their staff promptly recovered the piece today (6/21/23). An assessment of contamination was performed and none identified. This incident did not result in members of the public receiving exposures in excess of (Illinois) Part 340 limits. Pending appropriate enforcement action and the licensee's written report; this matter is considered closed. Root cause and the adequacy of corrective action will be assessed in the licensee's response.
Illinois Item Number: IL230016
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