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The following is a summary of information … The following is a summary of information provided by the Maryland Department of Environment via email:</br>On June 10, 2025, at 1600 EDT, the Maryland Department of the Environment's Radiological Health Program (MDE/RHP) was notified by the Maryland State Police that a cesium-137 source was found at the Shady Grove Solid Waste Transfer Facility. It was reported that a waste truck arrived at the waste transfer facility on Friday afternoon with the source inside. It was first misidentified as iodine-131 (as a bit of medical waste). It was then compacted and placed in a container express (CONEX) box. A second survey was performed and identified the source as cesium-137. The box was then held to prevent incineration. Wipe samples were taken on the surface of the container. There were no signs of leakage. The facility also used a high-purity germanium (HPGe) radiation detector to confirm the identity of the source. The highest measurement observed was 463 microroentgen per hour at about 1 foot from the estimated source position. The Department of Energy contact person was notified, and the source activity was estimated to be approximately 0.3 Ci. The facility plans to transfer the container to the Covanta Energy facility and attempt to locate the source and remove it from the container on June 11, 2025, at 1130. </br>* * * UPDATE ON 6/18/2025 AT 1729 EDT FROM KRISHNAKUMAR NANGEELIL TO ERNEST WEST * * *</br>The following information was provided by the Maryland Department of Environment via email:</br>On June 11, 2025, representatives from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), in coordination with FBI officials and the safety and environmental compliance manager at the Shady Grove Waste Transfer Facility, convened to execute the recovery plan for a missing sealed radioactive source. The team accompanied the transport of the suspect container to the Covanta Energy facility for inspection. Following a safety briefing, the container was unloaded in a slow, controlled manner. Maryland State Police were present to support the operation. Radiation surveys were conducted after each stage of unloading. The sealed source was located in the final portion of debris. A preliminary leak test confirmed only background radiation levels, indicating no removable contamination on the exterior of the source.</br>The recovered item was identified as a benchmark Cs-137 sealed source, serial number BM06E-37-019-32. Originally manufactured with an activity of 8.325 MBq (0.225 mCi) on July 6, 2007, the current activity was calculated to be approximately 5.5 MBq (0.149 mCi), based on standard decay calculations. The source was secured in a sealed plastic bag, placed into a lead pig for shielding. All readings in other areas remained at background levels, and the container was released from further radiological control.</br>On June 12, 2025, RadQual, the manufacturer, confirmed that the source had been shipped on September 28, 2007, to a licensed medical facility in Maryland. This information was provided by the commercial manager at RadQual.</br>The source is currently being stored in a shielded, access-controlled area at the Shady Grove facility, pending final disposal through a licensed radioactive waste broker. All associated documentation will be completed and submitted to MDE in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.</br>Maryland Event ID Number: 78276</br>Notified R1DO (Warnek) and NMSS Events Notification (email)rnek) and NMSS Events Notification (email)
20:00:00, 10 June 2025 +
57,755 +
11:14:00, 11 June 2025 +
20:00:00, 10 June 2025 +
The following is a summary of information … The following is a summary of information provided by the Maryland Department of Environment via email:</br>On June 10, 2025, at 1600 EDT, the Maryland Department of the Environment's Radiological Health Program (MDE/RHP) was notified by the Maryland State Police that a cesium-137 source was found at the Shady Grove Solid Waste Transfer Facility. It was reported that a waste truck arrived at the waste transfer facility on Friday afternoon with the source inside. It was first misidentified as iodine-131 (as a bit of medical waste). It was then compacted and placed in a container express (CONEX) box. A second survey was performed and identified the source as cesium-137. The box was then held to prevent incineration. Wipe samples were taken on the surface of the container. There were no signs of leakage. The facility also used a high-purity germanium (HPGe) radiation detector to confirm the identity of the source. The highest measurement observed was 463 microroentgen per hour at about 1 foot from the estimated source position. The Department of Energy contact person was notified, and the source activity was estimated to be approximately 0.3 Ci. The facility plans to transfer the container to the Covanta Energy facility and attempt to locate the source and remove it from the container on June 11, 2025, at 1130. </br>* * * UPDATE ON 6/18/2025 AT 1729 EDT FROM KRISHNAKUMAR NANGEELIL TO ERNEST WEST * * *</br>The following information was provided by the Maryland Department of Environment via email:</br>On June 11, 2025, representatives from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), in coordination with FBI officials and the safety and environmental compliance manager at the Shady Grove Waste Transfer Facility, convened to execute the recovery plan for a missing sealed radioactive source. The team accompanied the transport of the suspect container to the Covanta Energy facility for inspection. Following a safety briefing, the container was unloaded in a slow, controlled manner. Maryland State Police were present to support the operation. Radiation surveys were conducted after each stage of unloading. The sealed source was located in the final portion of debris. A preliminary leak test confirmed only background radiation levels, indicating no removable contamination on the exterior of the source.</br>The recovered item was identified as a benchmark Cs-137 sealed source, serial number BM06E-37-019-32. Originally manufactured with an activity of 8.325 MBq (0.225 mCi) on July 6, 2007, the current activity was calculated to be approximately 5.5 MBq (0.149 mCi), based on standard decay calculations. The source was secured in a sealed plastic bag, placed into a lead pig for shielding. All readings in other areas remained at background levels, and the container was released from further radiological control.</br>On June 12, 2025, RadQual, the manufacturer, confirmed that the source had been shipped on September 28, 2007, to a licensed medical facility in Maryland. This information was provided by the commercial manager at RadQual.</br>The source is currently being stored in a shielded, access-controlled area at the Shady Grove facility, pending final disposal through a licensed radioactive waste broker. All associated documentation will be completed and submitted to MDE in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.</br>Maryland Event ID Number: 78276</br>Notified R1DO (Warnek) and NMSS Events Notification (email)rnek) and NMSS Events Notification (email)
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00:00:00, 18 June 2025 +
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11:20:04, 20 June 2025 +
11:14:00, 11 June 2025 +
0.635 d (15.23 hours, 0.0907 weeks, 0.0209 months) +
20:00:00, 10 June 2025 +
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