Press Release-I-03-056, Radioactive Material Removed from Bankrupt Central Pa. Site

Press Release-I-03-056: Radioactive Material Removed from Bankrupt Central Pa. Site

ML032720760
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/29/2003
From:	Office of Public Affairs Region I
To:
Category:Press Release
References
Press Release-I-03-056
Download: ML032720760 (1)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 www.nrc.gov No. I-03-056 September 29, 2003 CONTACT: Diane Screnci, 610/337-5330 Email: opa1@nrc.gov Neil Sheehan, 610/337-5331 RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL REMOVED FROM BANKRUPT CENTRAL PA. SITE A large quantity of radioactive material has been safely shipped to a disposal site in South Carolina following the bankruptcy of a Central Pennsylvania company. The company, PermaGrain Products, Inc., declared bankruptcy at its Quehanna, Pa., site last December.

The site housed a pool irradiator containing a large quantity of cobalt-60. Permagrain used the irradiator to produce durable wood flooring for commercial applications. The site is owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and was leased to PermaGrain. Following the bankruptcy, the Commonwealth provided security for the sources.

Plans for the removal and packaging of the sources were developed and financed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, as a federal removal action. It was requested by the NRC and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). EPA, NRC and PADEP have worked closely on the project for the last several months.

NRC inspectors from the Region I office in King of Prussia, Pa., observed preparations for the shipments and participated in many meetings concerning removal of the cobalt- 60 sources from the PermaGrain site. Inspectors witnessed dry runs of the cask loading operation in advance of the shipments to assure safety of the shipments.

The final shipment arrived at the low level waste disposal site in Barnwell, S.C., on Thursday (9/25).