ML20058Q429
| ML20058Q429 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07003052 |
| Issue date: | 08/30/1993 |
| From: | Amato C, Ladun R, Scott Moore NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20058Q424 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-3052-93-01, 70-3052-93-1, NUDOCS 9310260185 | |
| Download: ML20058Q429 (5) | |
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l U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I INSPECTION REPORT Report No.
070-03052/93-001 Program Code Docket No.
030-03025 License No. SNM-1978 Priority Category Licensee:
M. A. A.S.. Inc.
1155 Zion Road Bellefonte. Pennsylvania 16823 Facility Name:
M. A.S.S. Inc.
Inspection At:
M. A. A.S. Inc.
Penn State University AIld.
NRC. Region I King of Prussia. Pennsylvania 19406 Inspection Conducted: July 8 - 29.1993 Inspectors:
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&fc>&.dS~)df3 Charles G. Amato, health Physicist
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Richaril H.12 dun, Health Physicist date 8/3Oh 3 Approved by:
Scott W. Moore, Acting Chief da'te Industrial Application Section Inspection Summary:
Special, announced inspection conducted on July 22-23,1993 (Inspection No. 070-03052/93-001)
Areas Insnected:
Storage shed and cabinet at the former M.A.A.S., Inc. facility.
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2-Results-All known radioactive material previously possessed under license SNM-1978 has been properly transferred or accounted for with one exception. A paint can containing radioactive material listed on a M.A. A.S. inventory given to the NRC by Appiled Health Physics could not be located. The storage shed and closet areas were surveyed, and wipes and media samples taken. No radioactive material was detected in these two locations.
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DETAILS 1.0 Persons Contacted The following personnel were contacted in person or by phone.
E. Augustine, Penn State University S. Battle, Martin Marietta Energy Systems l
R. Boeland, Martin Marietta Energy Systems P. Boyle, Penn State University R. Gallagher, Applied Health Physics, Inc.
- R. Gr^ ndlung, Penn State University l
L. Herzog, Nuclide Corporation C. Heyman, President, M.A.A.S. Inc.
- W. Karch, First People's National Bank
- M. Lemley, President and CEO, Premier American Technologies Corporation
- A. Phillips, Penn State University
- R. Smithsky, Blazosky Associates, Inc.
- Briefed as to inspection findings.
2.0 Background Information i
NRC RI undertook an announced, special inspection of the former M.A.A.S. facility in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania to ensure that 32 grams of enriched uranium oxide of low strategic significance, uranium hexafluoride and other radioactive materials wcre in safe, secure storage. The 32 gr:ms of uranium oxide consisted of various enrichments comprising a calibration set to test and calibrate mass spectrometers. The sources were originally possessed by the Nuclide Corporation of State College, Pennsylvania (NRC license SNM-188 issued in 1962). Nuclide filed for bankruptcy in 1984. Nuclide advised the NRC on July 10,1986 that they were moving from State College. An NRC Region I inspector conducted a close-out inspection during l
March 1987. On March 30, 1987, M.A.A.S., Inc. applied for a special nuclear material license which was issued on February 12,1988 (SNM-1978). On February 12,1988, the NRC retired the Nuclide expired license and incorporated the special nuclear material possessed by Nuclide into license SNM-1978.
Nuclide assets were taken over by M.A. A.S. which began operations at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Mr. Charles Heyman of Norfolk, Virginia was the M.A.A.S.
president. Their facilities consisted of a building, concrete block shed and land leased from Mr. Harry Sandler of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Mr. Sandler's mortgages are held by the Peoples's National Bank of Central Pennsylvania and the Unitas National Bank. Mr. Sandler has filed for bankruptcy and is still the owner of record.
M.A.A.S. filed for bankruptcy during 1991 and their license was revoked on September 25,1992 for fee non-payment. On November 18,1992, a Bankruptcy Court sold Nuclide to M.A.S.S. and also on this date sold M.A.A.S. to Premier
4 American Technologies Corporation (PATCO). Both bankruptcies were dismissed on December 15, 1992.
The People's Bank commissioned Blazosky Associates of State College to determine if there were hazardous wastes on the site. When radioactive material was identified on the site, Blazosky engaged Applied Health Physics (AHP) to remove five Alphatron, (static eliminators containing radium), and dispose of them. AHP did so and also identified and located the special nuclear material. AHP collected and inventoried all the remaining radioactive material in the shed, placed it in a wooden box and took it to the M.A.A.S. building where it was placed in a wooden, locked closet. AHP staff.
advised the M.A. A.S. Production Manager of the transfer. On different dates, AHP staff and inspectors did a limited survey of the M.A.A.S. facility using microrem meters. Readings above background were not detected. An AHP CertiGcate of Radiological Safety for Unrestricted Use of the storage building adjacent to the M.A.A.S. building was issued based on AHP's smvey. On November 12, 1992 the uranium hexafluoride in the possession of M.A.A.S. was packaged and shipped by Manin Marietta to their Piketon, Ohio facility. During November 1992, Dr. Leonard Herzog, the former president of the Nuclide Corporation, was contacted by M.A.A.S. and asked if he would take the calibration sources, consisting of enriched uranium, for safe keeping. Dr. Herzog said he accepted them to prevent their loss or disposal as garbage. They were delivered to his residence, during his absence, with an inventory which does not agree with the AHP inventory given to the NRC. He then placed the sources in his garage. He later moved the sources to a locked trailer next to the Noll Building on the Penn State campus and then to trx>m 8 of this building. These actions were taken without the knowledge of the Penn State University Radiation Safety OfGcer.
3.0 Inspection Findings NRC notined the Penn State Radiation Safety OfGcer on July 19,1993 regarding the presence of this enriched uranium on the campus. When the Penn State Radiation Safety Officer conGnned the presence of this material, the NRC conducted a special inspection on July 22 and 23. The PATCO facility (i.e., the former M.A.A.S.
1 facility) was inspected on July 22 and the AHP radiation wrvey results confirmed.
Dr. Herzog was present when the box he had taken to the campus was opened during the July 23rd inspection. The Radiation Safety OfGeer and the inspectors inventoried, surveyed and wiped all contents. Survey readings were 5 to 10 microrem per hour.
Four wipes were above background; the wipe activities measured at Penn State were 3
below the Penn State decontamination levels. These readings were conGrmed by NRC l
RI laboratory analysis using a gamma scan of the composited wipes and media l
samples.
0 The items of regulatory concern listed on the inventory given to NRC by AHP were:
(1) 10 flasks containing an amber colored fluid with a specific activity, per the AHP inventory, of 1.0 microgram per milliliter, and (2) ten screw capped, small bottles containing 32 grams of uranium oxides of various emichments (average 80%). One bottle, containing 95% enriched uranium, was opened t.nd weighed in the presence an inspector; the weight was 26.07555 gram. This weight agrees with the inventory value. Penn State has accepted the uranium and the fluid, which was not identified, and placed them in safe, secure storage pending disposal. This storage meets 10 CFR Part 73 requirements.
The inspectors observed that two inventories reviewed during the inspection did not agree. One was the M. A.A.S. inventory delivered with the sources given to Dr. Herzog. The other was the M. A.A.S. inventory given by AHP to the NRC.
While all the items on the M.A.A.S. inventory given to Dr. Herzog were accounted for, additional NRC effort was needed to identify all items listed on the inventory AHP provided to the NRC and determine their disposition. All but one item were accounted for. The missing item is a quart paint can containing black, metal turnings and powder, labeled by AHP " Caution-Radioactive Material" and assigned Serial Number C13080. AHP personnel stated they placed the can in a wooden storage cabinet near the M.A.A.S./PATCO loading dock. This cabinet was then locked.
During the inspection, the inspectors found an empty storage cabinet. No personnel present during the inspection or who were subsequently contacted could account for l
the can and its contents.
The inspectors noted an unlabeled paint can in the cinder block shed. They surveyed and wiped it and also took media samples. Results indicated this can and it's contents were not radioactive.
4.0 Exit Meeting A formal exit meeting was not held due to the on going nature of the inspection and availability of personnel. Personnel identified in Section 1 of this report were briefed by phone or in person as to inspection findings.
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