View source for PNO-IV-87-058, on 871109,radioactive Matl Mistakenly Released from Radiologically Controlled Site & Subsequently Dumped at Coffey County Landfill.Licensee Retrieved All But 3 of 39 Pieces of Duct & Associated Hardware from Dump

{{Adams
| number = ML20236P202
| issue date = 11/12/1987
| title = PNO-IV-87-058:on 871109,radioactive Matl Mistakenly Released from Radiologically Controlled Site & Subsequently Dumped at Coffey County Landfill.Licensee Retrieved All But 3 of 39 Pieces of Duct & Associated Hardware from Dump
| author name = Jaudon J, Yandell L
| author affiliation = NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION &amp; ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV)
| addressee name = 
| addressee affiliation = 
| docket = 05000482
| license number = 
| contact person = 
| document report number = PNO-IV-87-058, PNO-IV-87-58, NUDOCS 8711170190
| document type = PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR OCCURRENCE (PNO,, TEXT-INSPECTION &amp; AUDIT &amp; I&amp;E CIRCULARS
| page count = 2
}}
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    ;yy                                                                 November 12, 1987L               a4 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE -- PNO-IV-87-58
:This preliminary'notifica' tion _ constitutes ~EARLY' notice of events of POSSIBLE              .
                                                                                                                   .l safety or public interest significance.           The information is as initially received-
          "without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that ~is' known by the Region IV staff on this date.
FACILITY: Wolf Creek-Nuclear                              Licensee Emergency Classification:
Operating Corporation                         X   Notification of Unusual Event-L                      -Wolf Creek Generating                              Alert b                         . Station'                                       Site Area Emergency Burlington, Kansas                                 General Emergency DN: '50-482                                        Not Applicable SUBJECTi     RADI0 ACTIVE' MATERIAL DUMPED OFFSITE At approximately 8:30 a.m. (CST) on' November 11, 1987, the licensee notified the L
t>         NRC resident inspector that on November 9, 1987, radioactive material had mistakenly been released-from the radiologically controlled area and ended up-
;          .being dumped at the Coffey County landfill. The landfill is located j          approximately.7 miles from the Wolf Creek site and 2 miles east of Burlington, .
Kansas. The material: consisted of a section of-ventilation duct and associated;
          .. hardware that had been. removed from the containment building. There were a total of 39 pieces (approximately 66. square feet) dumped. The licensee retrieved all but 3 of the pieces (approximately 6 square feet) from the dump on November 10, 1987.
Licensee calculations determined that the total activity of the material was
          .approximately five microcuries and did not present.a hazard to the public.                The licensee stated that all but 0.3 microcurie of the original 5 microcuries has been recovered.
The material was originally surveyed around 1:30 a.m. (CST) on November 9, 1987.
At that time the health physics (HP) technicians got radiation readings of 200 to
          '400 counts above background but assumed this was a naturally occurring isotope (Tungsten-187)'found in welding material. The HP technicians retained one piece                           +
of the material.for counting on a gamma analyzer and released the rest of the                             '
material for ~ disposal . Due to the gamma analyzer being'out-of-service for                               5 calibration, the piece retained was not analyzed until approximately 8 p.m. (CST)                         f '
when the HPs returned to work for their next shift. At that time, it was determined that the material contained the following isotopes:              "Co , 'Co , 5 2Cr
           ' Fe . Since   the  dump      was   closed, the material could not  be retrieved until the             ...
day shift on November 10, 1987.                                                                           j 1
The licensee has notified the Kansas Bureau of Radiation Control. A Bureau                              j' representative stated that the missing 0.3 microcurie does not pose a public
          -health problem.                                                                                            1
          'The resident inspectors are following the licensee's investigation of this event.
l 4
          -The. licensee has issued a press release.           The NRC will respond to news media
          ~ inqui ries.
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         . g / ty/87 -               ll / tt./87      g /a-/87 8711170190 871112                                                         /              \
PDR     18cE                                                                         t)\
PNO-IV-87-058 PDR

    ,f g e PNO-1V-87.-58                                      '
                                                                                                                            .1 The state of Kansas and Coffey County have been notified.
This information has been confirmed with a licensee representative.
CONTACT:   J. Jaudon (FT 728-8140) or L. Yandell (FTS 728-8108).
DISTRIBUTION:                                                                                             '
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H. St.               MNBB       E/W           Willste     ADM:DMB (Original)
Chairman Zech        E00        0IA            NMSS       DOT:(Trans only)
                   'Comm. Roberts        PA         AEOD           RES Comm. Bernthal       OGC        VIB                        FAX:
Comm. Carr           MPA        DE                         liiPO Comm. Rogers                    01                         NSAC ACRS                                                       GPA-           (Air SECY                                                                      Rights)
CA                   Phillips'_ _                          RRI PDR.                 NRR                                   NRC OC                                         ;
DCS                                   LICENSEE:
(Reactor Licensee)
Regional Offices I
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