The following was provided by the
Texas Department of State Health Services (the Department) via phone and email:
On September 1, 2023, the Department was notified by a general licensee that a generally licensed NRD, LLC device containing 10 microcuries (original activity on June 8, 2022) of polonium-210 was lost. This is greater than 10 times the Appendix C value of 0.1 microcuries. The device was to be disposed of after the general licensee switched to another non-radioactive material method of eliminating static. However, the device was believed to have been thrown away in municipal waste before this could happen and was last seen on May 12, 2023. The device is not expected to provide significant dose to anyone.
The licensee does not believe this device would pose a safety or health risk to the public. Further information will be provided per SA-300.
Texas NMED: TX 230038
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