ML20057A258

PNO-IE-84-002:updates Earlier Preliminary Notification on Fixed Co-60 Contaminated Plumbing Fittings

ML20057A258
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/10/1984
From:	Cobb L, Metzger J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I)
To:
Shared Package
ML20057A246	List: ML20057A245 ML20057A258 ML20057A260 ML20057A264 ML20057A281 ML20057A286
References
PNO-IE-84-002, PNO-IE-84-2, NUDOCS 9309130288
Download: ML20057A258 (9)

Text

I F:EtiMINARY NOTIFICATION OF E'iENT OF UNUSUAL CCCURRENCE--MO-IE-84-d Cate: 9/10/54 F:.CILITY: Western American Manufacturer Licensee Emergency Classification Valencia, California -

Notification of Unusual Event arc etter Non-Licensees Alert Site Area Emer General Emergency;ency n Not Applicaole 5;5 JECT:

FIXED CCEALT-60 CCNTAMINATED PLUMBING FITTINGS - UPDATE (See FNO-V-64-57 cateo S/31/84)

This upcates the earlier Preliminary Notification on the subject.

Baseo on infor-matien wnicn the State of California developed at Western American Manufacture, the contaminated fittings were imported frem Taiwan. We now have information from Taiwan relating to further distribution of potentially contaminated fittings in the U.S. anc California has access to a list of customers of Western American Manu-facture wno potentially may nave received contaminated fitt'ings.

The cetails follow, ccorcine to a Taiwan telex catec 9/6/84, surveys at the manufacturer ano distributor a

of fittings snoweo very icw raciation levels. Taiwan suspenced any furtner shipments from tne Taiwan cistributors. The Taiwan telex inoicatec that the raoicactive fit-tings were limiteo to 1 inch "Ts" and 1 1/4 inch locknuts and manufactured in January-February of 1983. The contaminated "Ts" and locknuts were exported to the U.S. in Feoruary-Maren of 1553.

Surveys by the Taiwanese indicated that none of the items manufactured after February 1983 contained any radioactivity..

The NRC/ California licensee that first returned a contaminated "T" to a California hareware store surveyed the store's remaining fittings from Taiwan; no radioactivity was found. The "T" that was returned showed 0.05-0.07 mR/hr. The State of California took 20 fittings from the distributor, Western American Manufacturers, to have analyzed for amounts of racicacti-vity. The 20 fittings were removed from one of 23 unopened boxes. The nigtest radiation level was founc en one 350 gram "T" and indicated 0.08 millircentgens per hour. The Cali-fornia laboratory analysis shewed one nanocurie of Co-60 per gram of the "T" (one nano-curie eouals 0.001 microcurie). The NRC limit for unrestricted use is 0.2 mrems per hour.

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The remaining 19 pieces analy:ed showed about one fifth as much radioactivity as the "T" Taiwan has indicatec that Short Line Products (SLP) of Boston, Massachusetts had ordered fittinos from Taiwan.

Investigation by the Conrnonwealth of Massachusetts found that SLP was eniy a sales office and kept no inventory of fittings except for three as show pieces.

A raoiation survey of the shcw pieces showec no radioactivity.

Further SLP personnel.

stated tney did very little business with Taiwan and only occasionally placed an orcer for a customer with the distributor in Taiwan.

Taiwan then sent fittings to the customer cirectly. At SLP nere were no names of customers, only invoice numoers. SLP is a small business involved in the sale of many items, not just pipe fittings. - Region I will followup to verify tnat no receres were kept.

On Friday, Septemoer 7,1984, it was learned that Western American Manufacturer possessec 21 toxes of "T"s insteso of 23. One box, containing 100 "Ts", had been distributed.

Potential recipients were 77 hareware stores in California, Oregon, Arizona Texas,

lumber and harcware stores in Southern California, 5 and P Industries in Louisville, Kentucky, and ACE Har ware in Oakbrook, Illinois (thought to be a distributor). All of the aoove States had been notifieo. It was determined through contacts by Kentucky tnat 5 and P Industries have received no "Ts" from Taiwan since Decemoer 1983. "Ts" received prior to Cecember 1983, hao been sold to stores. 5 and P Industries have no fittings in their ;ossession at this time. ACE Hareware in Oakbrook Illinois was a-billing office with no hareware in its possession.

9309130288 841130 PDR ORG NOMA PDR,

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~::EL:MINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OF UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE --FNO-lE Date: 9/10/E4-t f

secause :f the icw raciation levels founc en the fittings-surveyec tr.us far, it is not 4

ax;e:: : that raciatien levels above releasable limits will be founc :n tne fittings.

l I ist, tr.ere has been no cecia interest. The above infomation is ;rrent as of noon, 9/:0/54 i

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J. R. Metzger, IE 492 '947; L. I. Cobb, IE 492-4935 i

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.'aiencia, Cali f ornia Notifica::en :'.nasual Event 1: :: er N:n-_izensees G e r:

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. Mis c::2:es :ne earner,a rreiiminary J,:: ficatien en :ne sucject..e

w nave ac=1:icnal "nf:- a: :n :n :ne extent of :ne ::ntartnatten en :ne fittings and 4 e:- 1::en from Taiwan in res:ense :: :ves ens raisec ty :ne NRC.

at::rcir.; : a Taiwan teiex datec 9/12/E4, it was believed that 10-2: tilicuries of c balt-i EC.as xe: m:n 75.5 ::ns of scrap iren a: :ne Taiyang Cc :any in Ta:.aa. Accorcine to

ne teiex, : wever, furtner inves ::ati:n is teing concuctec.

Ac::r: ; :: Taiyang s

aies e:: :5, :ne ::ntam nate: fit: ngs.ere manuf acturec cur ng :ne :er::: January 27 -

r :ruary E ;5E2. As resul: Of :es:s ::ncuctec en several 'istine :y a Taiwan latera-e

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raciatten level as 0.104. rem per neur or 0.152 nan::gries per gram

f etal.

rcing :: :ne Taiyang sales recor:s, exports of fittings ere limitec to

-estern ;-er,:an Manuf acturer anc Shor: Line Precucts, with celivery :ates of Maren I an: Mar: ::, '.EB* : -estern American an: Feeruary 11 anc Mar:n 1, ".5E3 :: Sher: Line F re::.:n..

ne Taiwan telex also statec ina: the melting furnace snewe: no c:ntamination I

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anc it nas :een preli=1nar11y verifiec :na fittings manufacturec af ter Maren of 1953 sn: wee n: ::ntaminaticn.

Sales of procutts frem Taiyang anc Taiwan 5:e : nave been sus:ence: anc :ne wo c:=:anies nave been or erec to install raciation :etection systems an :eveic: ;rececures to cneck precucts. The Taiwan Council will s::: : neck procucts

te e..:r:ec after ne cetection systems are functioning anc :rece ures inclementec.

1-icnai 10:ati:ns and surveys of pipe-fittings ("Ts"} in the U.S.

eveniec the foliew,ng:

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<as ce ermine na: Sher: Line Fre::::s did have names of cust:ners. One I

er:gr ::ns, sting Of ECO pieces that were manufacturea in January - Maren ISE3 as l

r:::e:-sni:;ec to a fim in Miami, Florida, an Agreement State. lurveys mace l

y Miami Officials snewed only small amounts of c:ntaminatien, a:: : :ne same as n ::ner places, less nan one nanocurie per gram.

-as ceterminec :na: ACE Har ware in Oakbreck IL had a water:.:e in Addisen, :L.

ns:e:::rs from :ne NRC Regien III office c ncuctec a survey a: - e =areneuse an: f:en: One bin containing about 120 "Ts", 7 of wnich had small ancunts of

ntaminat;cn.

Tha 7 "Ts" were :aten :: be analy:ec anc foun: n ::ntain

al:-50.

Eased en.re informati n provided by the Taiwanese in their most recen: :elex cated 9/12/20, anc :ne -esuits of the surveys mace in :ne U.S., the NRC Dlans no fur-er action on :nis

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5 far, : e-e nas teen no recia interest. The a:cve informati:n is :.--=n as of n::n, E/'.'iE4 I

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ATTACHMENT B i

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TELETYPES TO AND FROM TAIWAN CONCERNING j

i CONTAMINATED PIPE FITTINGS i

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l MR. YU SUNG l

DIRECTOR SCIENCE DIV!SION 1

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CCNAA RESPONDING TO MR. WU'S TELEX OF 8/31/84 i

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AFTER INVESTIGATION, WE FOUND THAT PIPE FIT *TNGS OF THE NAME 1

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" COIN BRAND" WERE MANUFACTURED BY TAI-YANG METAL INDUSTRI AL CO.,

I LTD. CF NO. 2 SECT. 3 hSIN-EHENG S. ROAD, TAIPEI TEL (02) 392-E5571

'nHICH EXPORTS AS WELL. TAIW?N SPECO CO., LTD IS ONLY AN EXP0natn.

2.

AT THAT TIME OF EXPORTIt!G THE SAID SPECS FITTINGS TO "WESTERM AMERICAN MANUFACTURER" I.E. FEB-MARCH 1983 BY TAIWAN SPECO CO.

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THE ONLY OTHER COMPANY WHICH RECEIVED THE PIPE FITTINGS MADE BY TAI-YANG WAS "FHORT LINE PRODUCTS LTD."

(128 POND STREET SHARON, MASS 02067). BUT IT NEEDS TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE PRODUCTS RECEIVED BY SHORT LINE PRODUCTS LTD., ARE CONTAMINATED i

1 OR NOT.

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3.

WE HAVE GOTTEN THE PACKING LIST NUMBERS OF CONTAMINATED PIPE I

FITTINGS FROM TAIWAN SPECO CD. WHICH WERE INFORMED BY " WESTERN l

AMERICAN MANUFACTURER".

THE DETAIL IS BEING INVESTIGATED AND WILL BE FORWARDED S00N.

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PLEASE INFORM FE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS MATTER IN THE U.S.A.

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REGARDS, YU HA0 LEE SECRETARY GENERAL i

AEC/ ROC 9/a/84 1

440363 CHST UI 26554 SIN 0 ATOM REPLY VIA ITT i

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e c'CTU;ER LTD. THAT 'ME CCNWINATED FITTINGS ARE 1" TEES AND

-1/4" *.CCKhUTS. NOT AS STATED SY F.R. WU'S TELEX THAT 1" TO 1-1/E" FITTINGS WERE INCLUDED.

(2) FROM TAIYANG'S SALES RECORDS TFE' CONTAMINATED FITTINGS WERE I

MANUra

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.M LATE JANUARY TO EARLY FEERUARY ISE2 AND EXPORTED

'i FEE MA CH FER:C" 1923. BUT 1-1/4" LOCKNUTS '4ERE SHIPPED IN APRIL !?SA.

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i t OCMEST:C C:STRIBUTCR CISCCVERED CNLY A FEW HUNDRED PIECES OF SLIGHTLY CONTAPINATED F;~~;NGS WHICH WERE MADE IM JAN-FEB FERIOD OF 19E2. THE EXFCe.T:NG CCMPANY TAI'WAN SPECO DOE 5 NOT HAVI ANY STOCK.

(4) PRODUCTS WMICH 1RE IN STOCK AND WERE MADE AFTER PARCH 1983 SHOWED NO CCNTAMINATION.

'5) 'HE FINIhGS :N OUE5' ION WEFE SHIFFED TO C0 HART PRODUCTS INC.

P.O. E01 555 9 '.'ALENSIA, CAL F 91355. WHICH MAS THE SAME ADDRESS A5 'nESTERN APERICAN MANUFACTURER.

(5) SALES OF FITTINGS Fe.CM TAIYANS AND TA!WAN SPECO ARE SUSPENCED.

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REGARDS fu HAC LEE SECRETARY GENERAL AEC/ ROC 9/6/S4' 4E03E2 CHST U 26554 S!h0 ATOM i

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SECRETARY GENERAL I

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'. NRC SENDS TuE FOLLCWING CUESTIONS TODAY.

CAN YOU ANSWER

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s:p?

WHAT WAS THE CAUSE CF THE CONTAMINATICN?

l2' AT WHAT STAGE DID THE COBALT 60 ENTER THE MANUFACTURINS PROCESS?

WHEN DID THE CONTAMINATION OCCUR?

i (3) WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE COBALT 60 CONTAMINATION i

INVOLVED?

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{a) WHAT PRODUCTS IN ADDITION TO THE TEES AND PIPING UNICSS MIGHT "r CONTAMINATED?

f5) WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM CONCENTRTION OF COBALT 60 ESTIMATE: ItR SUCH PRODUCTS? WHAT ARE THE ASSOCIATED SURFACE RADIATI:'

LEVELS?

6) WHAT IS THE QUANTITY OF PRODUCTS INVOLVED?

1 (7) WHAT KIND AND HOW MANY SUCH PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN EXPORTE: '3 THE U.S.?

WHEN WERE EXPORTS MADE AND TO WHOM WERE THEY SHIPPED?

5) DOES CCEALT 60 CONTAMINATION PRESENTLY EXIST IN FANUFACT; RING PLANT AND IF SO WHAT STEPS ARE TAKEN TO DECONTAMINATE

R OTHERWISE PREVENT CONTAMINATION OF PRODUCTS SHIPPED TO 2E U.S.?

E.

RE OR SHELDON SCHWARTZ'S VISIT TO TAIWAN, KINDLY ARRANGE SOMEBODY TO MEET HIM AT THE AIRPORT. HE'LL ARRIVE ON SEPT "

T 5:50 pu VIA CX411.

T' NKS AND REGARDS SU 5:NG l

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wo. tU SUNG COPY r

DIRECTOR SC;ENCE DIV./CCNAA 1,

EF YOUR TELEX OF SEPT. 7.

EGARDING THE INOUIRIES MADE BY N;C WE ARE CHECKING WITH TAIYANG CCMP NY FOR ORIGIN OF MATERIAL ANO :AUSE CF CONTAMINATION.

S JUCGED THAT CD-60 30T IN CURING :RCN uELT:NG :PCCEIS.

S : WHETuER IT WAS MIXED :N THE SCRAP :RON CR IN OTHER ADDIT:TES,

";T-ER INVESTIGATION IS EEING MACE BY THE COUNCIL.

} ::CM T".IY'NG'S SALES RECCRD, HE CONTAMINATED FITTINGS

,,ERE :RODUCED :'URING THE PERIOD CF JAN 27 - FEB 8,1983.

3.

ICCCRD:NS TD PRELIMINARY ESTIMATION THE ACTIVITY OF THE CO-60 SCURCE THAT CAUSED THE CONTAMINATION IS IN THE ORDER OF 10-20 MCI.

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. :CNTAMINATED ITEMS, EXCEPT 1" TEE AND l-1/A" LOCK NUT FOUND IN THE STATES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PP0 DUCTS LOCALLY:

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2/:" SOCKET,1/2" UNION 3/ A" X 1/2" BRS, 2-1/2" X 1-l /2" 3RS 1-1/a x 3/ " BRS anc 1/2" X 3/8" RBO, WE MAVE NO PROOF YET TWAT TuE BOVE PRODUCTS ARE ALREADY SOLD TO U.S. BUT ARE vu:N3 FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

S A RESULT OF EXAMINATION BY NATIONAL LABORATORY. THE MOST EACLY CDNTDINATED ITEM IS THE 2/4" SOCKET, THE SPECIFIC ACT:VITY OF WHICH FOR CD-60 S 1.52 X 10 4 UCI/G WITH SURFACE DOSE OATE AT 0.104 MRAD /HR.

6.

ICCORDING TO PRODUCTION STATISTICS OF TAIYANG CD.

TOTAL PROCUCTS WEIGHTS FROM JAN 27 to FEB 8,1983 ARE 76.8 TONS.

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(1) CUANTITY OF CONTAMINATED ITEMS EXPORTED TO THE U.S.

IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY TAIYANG. WE WILL INFORM YOU AS 500N AS :T IS AVAILABLE.

i CCCRDING TO SALES RECCRD OF TAIYANG, FIRMS IN THE US j

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THAT " AVE IMPORTED TAIY ANG PRODUCTS WITH CONTAMINATIONS INCLUDE j

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WESTERN MANUFACTURER AND SHORT LINE PRODUCTS, LTD.

DELIVERY DATE i

TO WESTERN AMERICAN MANUFACTURER IS MARCH 1 AND 22198A WITH THE l

1-1/ " LOCK NUT BEING DELIVERED ON APRIL 12, 1984 DELIVERY TO SHORT LINE PRODUCTS, LTD WAS MADE ON FEB 11 and MARCH 1.1983

• RESFECTIVELY.

l 2.

ACCORDING TO IN SITUE SURVEY BY THIS COUNCIL AT THE PLANT, THE MELTING FURNACE BEARS NO CONTAMINATION. AND FROM SPOT CHECK CF l

WAREHOUSE PRODUCTS, IT IS PRELIMINARILY VERIFIED THAT PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED AFTER MARCH 1983 SHOW NO CONTAMINATION.

TO PREVENT FURTHER SALES OF CONTAMINATED PRODUCTS, SALES OF FITTINGS FROM YAIYANG AND TAIWAN SPECO ARE SUSPENDED. THE COUNCIL IS ORDERING TAIYANG TO ESTABLISH A RADIATION DETECTION SYSTEM WITH PROPER PROCEDURES.

900UCTS CF AIYANG WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXPORT UNTIL THE REOUIRED wEASURES ARE IM LEMENTED ND PRODUCTS ARE SPOT CHECKED BY THIS CDUNCIL.

?RODUCTS ALREADY CCNTAMINATED WILL BE SUSPENDED FOR SALE AND DISPOSED AS WASTE.

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1. 00R TELEX OF SEPT 7 WAS RELAYED TO MY OFFICE 'BY THE SCIENCE COUNCIL l

Sy WAIL.

IT REACHED ME ON SEPT 12.

l REG;RDS fu -A0 LEE SECRETARY GENERAL

EC/ ROC j

9/12/B4 l

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COPY SEP 1 1924 22:2

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255E4 SINCATCM VR. YU SUNG DIRECTCR SCIENCE DIVISION /CCNAA REFER TO THE TELEX CF SEP 12 1.

WESTERN AMERICAN MANUFACTURE INFORMED US THAT 23 PACKAGES CF 1" TEES *ND l 1/2 PACKAGES OF 1-1/4" LOCK NUTS WERE FOUND CONTAMINATED AT THEIR WAREHOUSE.

TAI-YANG CD. HAD ALSO INFORMED THIS COUNCIL ABOUT 5 (SIX) TONS OF PRODUCTS, WHICH WERE MADE IN

"AT :ERIOD. ERE EXPORTED TO SHORT LINE PRODUCTS LTD. PLEASE ADVISE WHETFER ANY INVESTIGATION IS DONE AT SHORT LINE.

2.

ACCCRDING TO CUR INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS IT IS MOST LIKELY THAT THE CO-60 SOURCE CAME TOGETHER WITH IRON SCRAPS, NOT WITH THE 'DD1TIVES (I.E. IN, MN, or SI).

AS WE KNOW, MOST OF THE SCRAPS COMES FROM SALVAGES OF SHIPS OF FOREIGN COUNTRIES, ONLY l

A SMALL PORT!CN COMES FROM USED STEEL OR LOCAL ORIGIN. WE ARE

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LOOKING INTO DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES FOR THIS CONTAMINATION SOURCE.

3.

LEASE IN0VIRE THE ECDNOMIC DIVISION OF CCNAA IF THEY HAD l

RECEIVED THE REPORTS ABOUT THIS CONTAMINATION EVENT, FROM OUR 3 CARD OF FOREIGN TRADE OR INDUSTRI AL DEVELOPMENT SUREAU, IF NOT PLEASE INFORM THEM ALL THE INVESTIGATION REPORTS WE HAVE GIVEN '

YOU EEFORE.

t WE'LL KECP YOU INFORMED OF ANY FURTHER INFORMATION,

REGARnS, Yu HA0 LEE l

SECRETARY GENERAL AEC/ ROC 8/14/24*

230363 CHST UI 25554 SINGATCM l

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