ML20216J643
| ML20216J643 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/09/1978 |
| From: | Higginbotham L, Metzger J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-78-142, NUDOCS 9804210445 | |
| Download: ML20216J643 (2) | |
Text
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U l-j, PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION
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August 9, 1978 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-78-142 This preliminary ~ notification constitutes EARLY' notice of'an event of
_POSSIBLE safety ~or. public.. interest. significance.
The information presented is as initially received.without verification or evaluation and is basically all that is known by IE staff'on this date.
Facility:
Not Yet Determined
Subject:
UNAUTHORIZED DISPOSAL OF VIALS CONTAINING TECHNETIUM-99 i
At 8:30 p.m., August 8,1978, youngsters in Harvey, Illinois observed an unidentified man throw a box of material into a creek.
Upon investigation the youngsters found vials marked with radioactive material labels and they notified police.
The police notified the DOE Duty Officer who dispatched the Radiological
. Assistance Team.
The State of Illinois was notified and also dispatched Ol a survey team.
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Seven vials of Technetiem-99 were found.
One vial was full, four were
~ ~ -
partially full, and one was broken and empty.
The highest reading vial (the full one) was 100,000 counts per minute (less than 1 milli.-
roentgen per hour).
Technetium 99 has a half life of about 6 hour6.944444e-5 days <br />0.00167 hours <br />9.920635e-6 weeks <br />2.283e-6 months <br /> s.
A survey of the youngsters showed no contamination.
Surveys at the creek also showed no contamination.
The vials had been shipped from Medi-Physics Corporation on August 4, l
1 1978.
Efforts are now being made to locate the organization which received or should have received the shipment.
Appropriate inspection /
enforcement action will be taken by Region III as soon as this is determined.
The locci ABC TV News affiliate is aware of the occurrence.
A press release is not planned by NRC at this time; however, inquiries from the press will be answered.
NRC, Region III (Chicago) received notification of this occurrence by telephone from the Chief, Division of Radiological Health, State of Illinois at 10:50 p.m., August 8,1978.
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9804210445 780809 PDR I&E D.
g r PO PNO-78-142 PDR
1 Continued PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION
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PREl.IMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE--PNO-78-142
Contact:
J. R. tietzger, IE x28188 L. B. Higginbotham, IE x28098 Distribution:
Transmitted H St'//153.
Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Bradford S. J. Chilk, SECY Commissioner Kennedy Commissioner Ahearne C. C. Kammerer, CA Commissioner Gilinsky (For Distribution)
Transmitted:
11NBB //.'ld P Bldg.V.D [
J. G. Davis, IE 1,. V. Gossick, EDO H. R. Denton, NRR RegionA
- 5 / 3 S. H. Hanauer, ED0 J. J. Fouchard, PA SSBldg2IO7 (MAIL)
N. M. Haller, MPA C. V. Smith, NMSS
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l 85 PRELIMINARY NOTIFII.ATION
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