PNO-IV-98-009, on 980129,bag Containing Radioactive Biomedical Waste,In Container Labeled Radioactive Waste Was Inappropriately Disposed of at Wilford Hall Medical Ctr at Lackland Afb.State of Tx Informed
| ML20202C717 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/11/1998 |
| From: | Cain C, Gaines A NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-IV-98-009, PNO-IV-98-9, NUDOCS 9802130009 | |
| Download: ML20202C717 (1) | |
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t 1- February 11,1998 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE _,
PNO-IV 98-009 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is known by Region IV staff in Arlington, Texas on this date.
Facility Licensee Emeroency Classification United States Air Force Notification of Unusual Event Usaf Radioisotope Committee Alert San Antonio, Texas Site Area Emergency License No: TX-02682-00/1 General Emergency X Not Applicable
Subject:
Mishandled Radioactive Waste A bag of radioactive biomedical waste, in a contalner labeled raoioactive waste, was inappropriately disposed of at the Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland AFB. The trash bag contained approximately 100 microcuries oflodine 125 and 20 microcuries of
, cobalt 57. The event occurred on the evening of January 29,1998, when a new employee (assigned to housekeeping) took the trash bag out of the labeled container and disposed of it as nonradioactive biomedical waste. The waste had already been shipped to an incinerator authorized to incinerate nonradioactive biomedical waste located near Houston, Texas, when it was recovered by the licensee on February 2,1998. The licensee's normal
! disposal mode for this particular radioactive waste would have been by decay-in-storage.
l Prior to this incident, the same facility reported the loss of 2 boxes of radioactive biomedical waste c . December 22,1997. The loss was similar in that housekeeping staff inadvertontly discarded the waste.
The state of Texas has been informed.
NRC's Operation Center received notification of this occurrence by telephone from Major Swenson of the Air Force's Radioisotope Committee at 09:16 am (EST) on February 10, 1998. Region IV has informed NMSS.
This information has been discussed with the licensee and is cunent as of 7:10 am (CST) on February 11,1998.
Contact:
Anthony D. Gaines Charles L. Cain (817)860-8252 (817)860-8186 7 9 g g' - (1 Oftrs49,v}
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