ML20249A830
| ML20249A830 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/12/1978 |
| From: | Haller N, Mccormick R, William Ward NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNS-78-002, PNS-78-2, NUDOCS 9806180294 | |
| Download: ML20249A830 (2) | |
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y, mm,c-PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION ls January 12, 1978
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PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF SAFEGUARDS EVENT--
PNS-78-02 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE national security 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 as of this date.
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Seaway Salvage Co. (Nonlicensee)
Buffalo, New York Subj ect:
CONTAINER MARKED "PU 239", FOUND IN METAL SALVAGE YARD At 9:35 a.m. on January 12, 1978, a radiation specialist from the New York office of EPA reported that a salvage company in Buffalo, New York had contacted the EPA Rochester office concerning a container they had found which was marked "Pu-239".
Region I (Philadelphia), contacted the salvage company who reported that the container was grey, 6" tall and 6 1/2" in diameter.
It was stainless steel, had a handle, and the top was secured by twelve bolts with a wire seal through one bolt.
A label on top contained a black and yellow radiation symbol with the warning
" Danger Radioactive." Also on top, printed in white paint on the metal is a warning which states in effect, "In case this is found notify Office of Inspection and Enforcement, NRC, Region I, 215-337-1150."
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On the side of the container, printed with white paint are the words,
" Reactor Fuel, PU-239, 90% enriched."
f A special response team was dispatched from Region I and arrived at the salvage yard at 2:15 p.m. January 12, 1978.
An advance DOE Radiological 2#
assistance team from the University of Rochester, New York arrived at approximately the same time.
The FBI Buffalo office was notified and 3
have special agents at the salvage yard maintaining surveillance and protective custody over the container. A representative of the New York State Department of Health was also present.
The Region I response team is packaging the container into a 35 gallon drum packed in Vermiculite and will transport the package to the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, PNR, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania where it will be stored until it can be opened for examination.
Media interest is expected because of the high public interest in fissile f
materials safeguards and plutonium toxicity, but no media coverage has yet J
occurred to our knowledge. The State of New York has been informed.
The i
Radiological assistance team at Brookhaven National Laboratory has been informed and dispatched the advance team from The University of Rochester.
Because the FBI is the lead agency an NRC press release is not planned at this time.
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.Page 2 PNS-78 02 Continued January 12, 1978
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NRC, REGION I', (Philadelphia) received notification of this occurrence by telephone from the EPA'at 9:35 a.m. on January 12, 1978, and NRC headquarters was informed telephonically.
This information is current as' of'4:00 PM January 12,.1978.
'The IAT was notified.
Contact:
WJWard, IE x28080 RGMcCormick, IE x28080 NMHaller, IE x27650 Distribution:
Transmitted H St 5.'S/p;
' Chairman Hendrie Commissioner Bradford Commissioner Kennedy S. J. Chilk, SECY C. C. Kammerer, CA Commissioner' Gilinsky (For Distribution)
Transmitted:
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-R. G. Ryan, OSP R Minogue, SD H. K. Shapar, ELD
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