ML20125D339
| ML20125D339 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/09/1983 |
| From: | Cunningham R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Santman L TRANSPORTATION, DEPT. OF |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20125D188 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-85-3 NUDOCS 8506120320 | |
| Download: ML20125D339 (3) | |
Text
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JAN s 1983 L. D. Santman Director I'aterial Transportation Bureau Department of Transportation 400 Seventh Street. S. W.
Washington, D.C.
20590
Dear Mr. Santman:
An increasing number of transportation incidents seem to be occurring which involve the loss of radiophannaceutical packages from transport vehicles. A sumary of recent incidents of which we have knowledge is enclosed.
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,I would appreciate any suggestions. that you might have concerning what might be done to minimize these occurrences and whether it would be worthwhile to require packages of radioactive materials to be labeled with an instruction regarding whom to call and what to do in the event a lost package should be found by a member of the public.
Sincerely, Original S!;ned by Richard E. Cunningham
)
Richard E. Cunningham, Dimetor Division of Fuel Cycle and i
Material Safety NMSS
Enclosure:
As stated cc:
.K. Black, AEOD bec: F. D. Fisher DISTRIBUTION RECunningham RGPage
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i SUPHARY OF RADIOPHARMECUTICAL SHIPMENTS LOST IN TRANSIT TIME PERIOD MID FEBRUARY,1981 TO JANUARY 1,1983 1.
On February 17, 1981 seven packages of radiophannaceuticals fell from a truck. Six packages were picked up by the driver and the seventh by a passing motorist. This package was taken to the police who determined Pharmaco to be the owner. Pharmaco picked up the package and found no leaks.
2.
On March 3,1982 a 6 mci capsule of I-131 was lost following delivery to the 1icensee. The loss was not detected until the capsule was needed.
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(This material was not actually lost in transit; however, one could speculate that shipping and receiving procedures may have played a part intheloss.)
i 3.
On June 15, 1982 near Concord, California, a carton fell out the rear of a trailer operated by the Sterling Transit Company, Inc. The carton marked
" Radioactive contained an empty lead cylinder used in the shipment of Iridium-142 for implants.
A motorist notified the California Highway Patrol who isolated the area until it could be determined there was no
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danger to the public.
a 4.- A 1,000 curie shipment of tritium gas fell from a Federal Express truck while enroute from a Knoxville, Tennessee, warehouse to the Knoxville The material was being shipped from USDOE to New England Airport.
Nuclear. A search of one and one-half miles of highway by State and DOE-personnel failed to locate the container. This incident occurred about midnignt on June 28, 1982.
1 A shipment of 80 mei of Xenon-133 and a 900 mei Technetium-99m generator 5.'
was found on the road by a motorist who moved the packages to the shoulder.
The motorist notified, among others, the State police. The police recovered the packagesfrom the shoulder of the road.
Region III surveyed the packages and found normal external readings with no loose contamination. The material This incident occurred l;
was returned to the supplier, New Engl.and Nuclear.
on the evening of October 24,1982.
Six packages containing radiopharmaceuticals (Technetium-99m generators, 6.
Xenon-133 and Iodine-131) were lost and later found in the parking lots of two hospitals at which deliveries had been made. The packages were checked by a civil defense emergency coordinator who verified them to be undamaged and free of radioactive contamination. The packages were then released to the driver of Caspersen, Inc. This incident occurred on the evening of October 31,1982.
L A shipment of radiopharmaceuticals (63 uci of Iodine-125) was reported 7.
missing in transit between Indianapolis, Indiana and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The material was in powder fonn, contained in two glass vials and packed in styrofoam with a fiberboard outer package. The package never reached its final destination in Buenos Aires and was reported last seen in Miami, Florida.. The package was shipped from the licensee's facility l
on October 10, 1982. A tracer has been put out by the licensee.
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About 12:00 noon on November 16, 1982 two teenagers on a school lunch break found a lead. pig containing a vial labeled "5 mil 11 curies chromium-51" on. Wisconsin Avenue near 44th Street in Washington, D.C.
Region I determined that the lead pig was part of a shipment from New England Nuclear to the Department of the Army at Fort Detrick.
- The package was being transported by United States Priority Transport Company and was apparently lost at a transfer point near the location where the lead pig was found.
9.
On December 12,1982 a 0.5 Ci Cs-137 sealed source in a shielded container was. lost during shipment by a comercial carrier (Magnolia Trucking Company) between Hauna and Cameron, Lousiana. The source was found the s,ame day by the Welex Company.,
10.
A transportation incident occurred on December 26, 1982 involving lost and damaged packages on East I-70 in Denver, Colorado..
' One damaged package containing 8 mei of I-131 (Nal) contaminated an area of highway 10 by 40 feet. The Colorado Department of Health decontaminated the area and investigated the incident.
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