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| Start date | Reporting criterion | Title | Event description | System | LER | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENS 53172 | 12 January 2018 08:00:00 | Agreement State | Agreement State Report - Gauge with Radioactive Source Disposed of in Load of Scrap Metal - Recovered | The following information was received from the State of California via E-mail: The California Radiation Control Program (CDPH-RHB) was notified by US CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) on 1/12/18 that a shipping container that had arrived at the Oakland port triggered a radiation detector upon attempting to depart the port. The shipping container contained scrap metal that was later determined to have been rejected at a South Korea port due to radiation detected upon receipt there. The Oakland port CBP personnel detected Cs-137, with a maximum dose rate on the outside of the shipping container of 86 microR/hr (gross). The radiation apparently had not been detected when the container was shipped out of the Oakland port to South Korea. The shipping container was held at the Oakland port by CBP until Tuesday 1/16/18, when it was released to AS Metals with the provision that CDPH-RHB would be present when the container was opened to determine the source of the radiation and subsequent disposition. CDPH-RHB went to a scrap yard site on 1/16/18 and found the source of the radiation was a gauge that was labeled (in handwriting as the original gauge label was missing) as containing 100 mCi of Cs-137. The gauge shutter was locked in the closed position. Dose rates were measured as approximately 40 mR/hr contact and 3 mR/hr at one foot distance, and the radioactive material was confirmed to be Cs-137. The apparent generally licensed gauge, which appeared very old, is being held in secure storage by AS Metals pending an attempt by CDPH-RHB to identify the general licensee who lost control of the gauge. This may be difficult due to the missing original label on the gauge, and because AS Metals has not been able to determine how or where they came into possession of the gauge. California 5010 Number: 011618 THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf |