The following report was received by the
Georgia Radioactive Materials Program via email:
On March 27, 2025, two sources (Ge-68) were found at a car repossession lot. It was determined the sources had been at that car repossession lot since sometime in October of 2024 and remained there until March 27, 2025, at which time GFD Hazmat recovered them and handed them off to EPD. The original activity was 1.49 mCi per source. The estimated decayed value was 0.05 mCi at the time of discovery and 0.04 mCi to date. The manufacturer confirmed the shipping location (GA 1490-1) and date of the source with a serial number.
The licensee responded with disposal records to Sanders Medical (Tennessee licensed facility). Sanders was able to confirm receipt of the material on April 15, 2025. It was determined the serial numbers listed on the lead pigs did not match the serial number of the enclosed sources.
On April 15, 2025, GA 2047-1 (Training Facility) gained possession of the found sources. The manufacturer (EZ) confirmed the same shipment location and licensee with the accurate serial numbers. After several attempts to reach out to Sanders, for confirmation of receipt, the State of Georgia could not get a response until July 15, 2025. At that time, a staff member from Sanders confirmed they did not receive, nor have they ever received the two sources.
The licensee was unable to provide disposal records for the sources, although routinely uses Sanders for disposal services. The licensee received a notice of violation on July 23, 2025.
Georgia Incident Number: 102
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