ML20155C058
| ML20155C058 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/14/1998 |
| From: | Lubenau J NRC |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20155C038 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9811020066 | |
| Download: ML20155C058 (1) | |
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September 1998 HPS Newsletter Spanish Steel Mill Melts Large Cesium Source radioactive waste created by this event.
CSN Chairman Juan Manual Kindelan provided an official Joel O. Lubenau, CHP, USNRC, Rockville. MO report on this event to the Spanish Parliament on 30 June 1998 which was also distributed to the IAEA, European Inand early June 1998, officials in France, Italy,Union, Germany were mystified by large increases of '"Cs and other countries, in it, he said:
Switzerland, observed in air samples-up to 2 mBq m compared to The meltdown of this source of cesium 137 at the background levels of I pBq m . On 12 June 1998 officials 9gg
' " * "* e n mm n mgan s ti ns with of the Spanish nuclear safety agency, Consejo de Seguridad .
Nuclear (CSN), reported that a steel mill in southern Spain resp nsibilities in this area. . . As you are aware, melted a '"Cs source on 30 May 1998. Prevailing winds entlemen, few things are regulated and controlled carried the plume over the Mediterranean Sea, bypassing in the advanced nations as nuclear energy, radioactivity most of Spain, and then turned north. Initial estimates of a e ng wm NewnMessAwcase the '"Cs melted are 0.3 to 3 TBq (8 to 80 Ci). The first " ***#5 # "* *# #' " "9#"
indication to the mill operator of the event car,e when a us t enc unter new and efficient s luti ns since there truck which carried furnace dust to a processor tripped a m y be, and in fact are, sources which escape regulatory control. A study publish [ed)in the Umted States m radiation alarm when it n turned to the nu.ll on 2 June 1998' Following an investigation. the null notified CSN on 9 June 1995 and updated in 1998, documents information 1998 and CSN sent inspectors to the null on 10 and i 1 June on some 300 cases of radiation sources or contaminated to confirm and determine the scope of the problem. On scrap being detected. .I must mstst that there can 12 June 1998 CSN notified the IAEA, European Union, " "D* '# guarantee, especially as reg rds shielded and neighboring countries of Portugal and France of the * * * " * ""E * * "' "C 8' event and issued a press release. That same day, European I should remind you of the data already mentioned
! media carried stories about the increased levels of airbome in relation to similar problems in the European Union radioactivity observed earher m the month. The media als and the United States over the last ten years, and insist o reported that questions were being raised about the delay there may be others which have gone undetected.
in public reporting of the event. CSN, in an official report, The foregoing is based upon the CSN report, news reports, noted that this type of event is a worldwide problem that and personal communications. Additional informa.
needs attention.
tion / corrections would be welcomed. This article does not The steel mill, Acerinox, is located in Algerciras in represent agreed <rpon staff positions of the Nuclear Regulatory Andulasia, west of the Strait of Gibraltar. The mill operates Commission nor has the agency approved its content. e two electric arc furnaces (EAFs) with a third under j construction. Both domestic and imported scrap metal is Re vest for Technical Notes i used but different entry routes are used for each. At the time of the melting, imported scrap metal was being used
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l but the radiation monitor for this route was inoperative,
- Suppliers of imported scrap include the Umted States, the o enhan the value of the Newsletter, any person in United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Ireland, Poland, and the radiatio protection community is requested and encouraged to sub 't technical notes relating to his or her Ponugal, but it is not known at this time from which country the suspect scrap came. EAF furnace dust is collected and evaluation and/or solu ' n of a radiation protection problem transferred to off site facilities. (In the United States, EAF or situation of interest to ur readership. General guidance
[
dust is processed to recover metals.)1hree of these facilities forsubmittingtechnicalnote orconsiderationforpublication in the Newsletter is provided follows. Technical notes were found to be contaminated. EAF dust concentrations were 800 to 1900 Bq gt The environs around the mill and relating to actual and novel experie. es of radiation protection specialists are preferred, although - are also could relate l plants are fourr! to be free of contamination. CSN dispatched to the solution of a problem or situation g 'ric to the radiation a mobile whole-body ccfaer 9 the regio.' where assays protection community. The note could, f example, relate were made of 376 workers from the mill and c ust processing plants. Six individuals had pcsitive counts ud the highest to the clarification of common misconce 'ons and the resulting dose was estimated to be 5 pSv. correction of common errors made in the eva ation and control of radiation sources. In general, the note, ciuding ENRESA, the Spanish agency responsible for radioactive any figures or tables, should not exceed one page the waste, is in charge of characterizing and disposing of the Newsletter (~ 800 words). =
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