ENS 43120: Difference between revisions
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| event date = 01/24/2007 12:00 PST | | event date = 01/24/2007 12:00 PST | ||
| last update date = 04/24/2007 | | last update date = 04/24/2007 | ||
| title = Agreement State Report | | title = Agreement State Report from Washington - Radiation Monitors at a Recycling Facility Detected Radioactivity Coming from an Incoming Load of Scrap Metal | ||
| event text = This event was received via e-mail from the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Radiation Protection. | | event text = This event was received via e-mail from the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Radiation Protection. | ||
Licensee: Unknown & under investigation. | Licensee: Unknown & under investigation. | ||
Latest revision as of 21:16, 1 March 2018
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
20:00 Jan 24, 2007 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report from Washington - Radiation Monitors at a Recycling Facility Detected Radioactivity Coming from an Incoming Load of Scrap Metal |
| Event Description | This event was received via e-mail from the Washington State Department of Health, Office of Radiation Protection.
Licensee: Unknown & under investigation. City and State: Tacoma, Washington License Number: Unknown & under investigation. Type of License: Unknown & under investigation. Date and time of Event: Washington DOH responded to event site 24 January 2007, ~ 11:30 am). Location of Event: Tacoma, Washington ABSTRACT: (where, when, how, why; cause, contributing factors, corrective actions, consequences, Dept. of Health (DOH) on-site investigation; media attention): WA DOH was notified on 24 January 2007 that radiation monitors at Schnitzer Steel (a metal recycling facility) detected radioactive sources in a load of scrap. The readings referenced by a Schnitzer's representative seemed unusually high so WA DOH staff were immediately sent to do a site investigation. Numerous meter & wipe surveys by WA DOH & Schnitzer's health physics consultant identified no site or source contamination. Four items of various materials, configurations and sizes were separated from the load. Some pieces had been wrapped in sheet lead. WA DOH staff measured from 0.6 to 80 mr/hr with an open beta window, ion-chamber survey meter. A waste disposal company had also been called to assure control of the materials for disposal. The nuclides, origins of the materials, and other details of the event remain under investigation. Notification Reporting Criteria: Unknown & under investigation; possibly 10 CFR 20.2201 and WAC 246-221-240 'Reports of stolen, lost or missing radiation sources.' Isotope and Activity involved: Unknown & under investigation. Overexposures? (number of workers/members of the public; dose estimate; body part receiving dose; consequence): Unknown & under investigation (none known at this time). Lost, Stolen or Damaged? (mfg., model, serial number): Unknown & under investigation (none known at this time). Disposition/recovery: Unknown & under investigation (none known at this time). Orphan unknown radioactive sources are secured and not a radiation hazard. Leak test? Unknown & under investigation (none known at this time). Vehicle: (description; placards; Shipper; package type; Pkg. ID number) NA Release of activity? Unknown & under investigation (none known at this time). Numerous meter & wipe surveys identified no contamination. Activity and pharmaceutical compound intended: NA Misadministered activity and/or compound received: NA Device (HDR, etc.) Mfg., Model; computer program: NA Exposure (intended/actual); consequences: NA Was patient or responsible relative notified? NA Was written report provided to patient? NA Was referring physician notified? NA Consultant used? Yes. Washington State Report Number WA-07-005
Status: Updated and Closed Licensee: Unable to determine after extensive investigation. There are many rumors of possible origin, including military. The military asserted that they did not lose control of these items, there is no proof of military origin, and they have established radiation safety programs / procedures / training to prevent these items from being released into the public domain. Even if these items had been used by the military years ago, does not mean that the military last possessed them and released them to the public. Many natural radium items continue to circulate through the public domain through no fault of the military / manufacturers. License Number: Unable to determine after extensive investigation. Type of License: Unable to determine after extensive investigation. WA DOH was notified on 24 January 2007 that radiation monitors at Schnitzer Steel (a metal recycling facility) detected radioactive sources in a load of scrap. The readings referenced by a Schnitzer's representative seemed unusually high so WA DOH staff was immediately sent on 24 January 2007 to do a site investigation. Numerous meter & wipe surveys by WA DOH & Schnitzer's health physics consultant identified no site or source contamination, and only minor contamination inside the yard box that contained the various items. Schnizter deserves recognition for their detectors & staff that flagged & separated the unknown abandoned radioactive materials on their way to the shredder feed. It would have been a terrible mess and a serious health hazard if they had reached the shredder. A waste disposal company worked closely with WA DOH to immediately secure the abandoned unknown radioactive materials, to ensure absence of contamination, assess the nuclide and activities, and to promptly arrange for proper disposal. Four distinct groups of unknown, abandoned radioactive materials, of various configurations and sizes were separated from the load. The estimated total maximum activity was 81 microcuries natural radium (radium-226). There were four distinct groups: group 1, a black coil, ~ 36 microcuries (~ 40 milliR / hr max @ ~ 1 inch, beta window closed); group 2, a hook & cable & 4 guides & cylinder ~ 4 microcuries (~ 400 microrem / hr max @ ~ 1 inch, 4 guides the highest); group 3, a folded steel sheet ~ 1 microcurie (~ 28 microrem / hr max @ ~ 1 inch); & group 4, a large sandwich of asbestos / wood / thick & heavy metal, ~ 40 microcuries (~ 44 microrem / hr max @ ~ 1 inch). All activities were overestimated due to the complicated nature of the materials and inability to directly access the sandwich and the folded sheet interiors. The radium coil was wrapped in sheet lead by Schnitzer Steel staff when separated from the non-radioactive scrap. The coil has been recognized as one used by military decades ago; but it is not believed to have come recently from a military site. In 1977 all radium items were removed from military use, & all remaining radium items (mainly museum items) are inventoried & tracked by the military (at levels as low as 1 microcurie). Sad news is that many items still remain in public domain (we routinely receive calls / requests for help with such items). Per military scrap metal recycling contract conditions, all military scrap metal sent to recycling is separated from the other non-metal building scrap / debris, so the sandwich would not have left the military site as a sandwich; all metal would have been separated from the non-metal. All metal shipments leaving the military sites are surveyed by their military rad detectors / radiation safety staff. All military staff interviewed had an awareness of asbestos, would recognize that the asbestos needed proper sampling & handling & disposal, & would stop a shipment containing asbestos & follow their procedures to contact their hazmat asbestos abatement team. The many manufacturers / vendors / service reps / users / radiation professionals contacted were unable to identify these items. The general reply is that radium is not an application used in this country, & has not been for many decades. The orphans look industrial in nature, & the presence of asbestos / acoustical board / heavy metal plates / wood suggests a high-temperature use, possibly steel / metal processing. It is possible that the sandwich radium sources were used with a fill level gauge. However, radium has not been used by most manufacturers in the US, & the last time it was used was decades ago. It is possible that these are not items that originated in the United States; that is consistent with the blatant disregard for proper asbestos handling. There is a small comfort in that current vendors / users are not tossing this mess. It is troubling that there is no definite answer as to origin / generator, & that the owner / generator possibly knowingly shipped these radioactive / asbestos items to a recycling center. It appears that someone knew they were removing the non-radioactive construction sections from around the radioactive sources section. Someone must have known that they were folding the steel plate to cover/ surround the source buried inside the fold. Someone also disregarded the proper asbestos disposal procedures. This indicates a willful disregard for the asbestos / radiation safety regulations, or a lack of awareness that they exist. Notification Reporting Criteria: Yes, per WAC 246-221-240 Reports of stolen, lost or missing radiation sources . Notification is required immediately for 100 microcuries or more of lost, stolen or missing radium-226. Notification is required within 30 days for 1 microcurie or more of radium-226 that is still lost, stolen or missing. It is unclear whether federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission 10 CFR 20.2201 Reports of theft or loss of licensed material applies, because natural radium is not considered licensed material and is not regulated until very recently. Isotope and Activity involved: Natural radium (radium-226), 81 microcuries total maximum estimate. Actual activity probably less due to conservative overestimating. Overexposures? (number of workers/members of the public; dose estimate; body part receiving dose; consequence): Extensive investigation identified no overexposures. Prompt identification & action by Schnitzer staff prevented the unknown abandoned radioactive / asbestos materials from entering the shredder feed. It would have been a terrible mess & a serious health hazard if they had reached the shredder. Lost, Stolen or Damaged? (mfg., model, serial number): Extensive investigation identified no licensee /owner / generator. Disposition/recovery: These abandoned unknown radioactive materials were immediately secured and not a radiation hazard. These abandoned radioactive materials were properly disposed of via a licensed radioactive waste disposal vendor on 28 February 2007. Leak test? Wipe tests of the abandoned unknown radioactive materials confirmed absence of contamination in public areas of the site, and identified slightly elevated contamination in the yard box (maximum 98 disintegrations per minute per ~ 1,000 square centimeters composite wipe), and on the abandoned radioactive materials (maximum 784 disintegrations per minute per wipe). Because wipe & meter surveys identified contamination levels below regulatory limits (WAC 246-232-140, Schedule D) and not considered a health risk, the Department of Health did not have the site decontaminated. Per its commitment to ALARA, Schnitzer also arranged for proper disposal of the slightly contaminated yard box. Vehicle: (description; placards; Shipper; package type; Pkg. ID number) NA Release of activity? Numerous meter & wipe surveys confirmed absence of contamination in public areas of the site, and identified slightly elevated contamination in the yard box, and on the abandoned radioactive materials (please see Leak tests above). Activity and pharmaceutical compound intended: NA Misadministered activity and/or compound received: NA Device (HDR, etc.) Mfg., Model; computer program: NA Exposure (intended/actual); consequences: NA Was patient or responsible relative notified? NA Was written report provided to patient? NA Was referring physician notified? NA Consultant used? Yes. FSME (Greg Morell) & R4DO (Linda Smith) notified. E-mailed to ILTAB. |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| Unknown Tacoma, Washington (NRC Region 4) | |
| Organization: | Wa Division Of Radiation Protection |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+23.45 h0.977 days <br />0.14 weeks <br />0.0321 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Arden C. Scroggs 19:27 Jan 25, 2007 |
| NRC Officer: | John Mackinnon |
| Last Updated: | Apr 24, 2007 |
| 43120 - NRC Website | |
Unknown with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 572262024-07-15T12:59:00015 July 2024 12:59:00
[Table view]Agreement State Suspected Radioactive Material Found ENS 561482022-10-05T04:00:0005 October 2022 04:00:00 Agreement State Two Abandoned Sources ENS 556972022-01-07T05:00:0007 January 2022 05:00:00 Agreement State Found Moisture Density Guage ENS 544262019-12-06T06:00:0006 December 2019 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Density Gauge Found at Scrap Yard ENS 529712017-09-08T18:53:0008 September 2017 18:53:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Source Discovery ENS 529292017-08-24T04:00:00024 August 2017 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Packaging - Source Intact ENS 528322017-06-28T04:00:00028 June 2017 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Cs-137 Source Recovered ENS 525592017-02-16T21:00:00016 February 2017 21:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Cpn Instrotek Notified California of Missing Cpn Nuclear Gauge Location ENS 524672016-12-29T05:00:00029 December 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Apparent Uncontained Radiation Source Detected ENS 520892016-07-12T04:00:00012 July 2016 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Fixed Gauge Found at Metal Recycling Faculty ENS 520882016-07-11T04:00:00011 July 2016 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Fixed Gauge Found at Metal Recycling Faculty ENS 518762016-04-21T05:00:00021 April 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radiation Level on Package Greater than Limits ENS 518662016-04-11T07:00:00011 April 2016 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Ra-226 Source Found in Garbage Truck ENS 517532016-02-22T05:00:00022 February 2016 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Unplanned Contamination at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 513842015-09-08T05:00:0008 September 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Ra-226 Source ENS 513272015-08-15T04:00:00015 August 2015 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphan Source Found in a Garbage Truck ENS 513222015-08-11T05:00:00011 August 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Source Discovered / Possible Overexposure Involved ENS 513152015-07-13T13:45:00013 July 2015 13:45:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Ndc Gauge Recovered from Landfill ENS 511962015-06-01T06:00:0001 June 2015 06:00:00 Agreement State Colorado Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Discovered at Scrap Yard ENS 509862015-04-15T19:15:00015 April 2015 19:15:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Source Discovered at a Transfer Station ENS 511012015-04-14T05:00:00014 April 2015 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Cs-137 Found in Waste Entering a Landfill ENS 509722015-04-10T04:00:00010 April 2015 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Source Found in Load of Scrap Metal ENS 502282014-06-23T07:00:00023 June 2014 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Damaged Fixed Gauge Found in Scrap Metal Shipment ENS 499642014-03-26T04:00:00026 March 2014 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Y-90 Sir-Spheres Treatment Dose Less than Prescribed ENS 498432014-02-07T06:00:0007 February 2014 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Unknown Radioactive Material Discovered in Garbage Truck at Landfill ENS 495132013-10-31T05:00:00031 October 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Orphan Sealed Source Recovered at a Scrap Yard ENS 491462013-06-24T18:30:00024 June 2013 18:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Scrap Metal Shipment Found to Contain Unidentified Radioactive Material ENS 490352013-04-24T06:00:00024 April 2013 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Found Radium 226 Source ENS 487992013-03-01T05:00:0001 March 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Shipment Containing Cesium-137 Found ENS 487532013-02-14T08:00:00014 February 2013 08:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Discovery of Gas Chromatograph in Building Attic ENS 488152013-02-14T04:00:00014 February 2013 04:00:00 Agreement State Blackout Button Found in Load of Scrap Metal ENS 487282013-01-28T05:00:00028 January 2013 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Smoke Detectors Found at Scrap Metal Recycling Facility ENS 491182012-11-19T07:00:00019 November 2012 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Illegal Transfer of a Device Containing Americium-241 ENS 479632012-05-25T05:00:00025 May 2012 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Uranium Source Found at Metal Check Recycling Facility ENS 477922012-03-28T20:35:00028 March 2012 20:35:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - a Moisture Density Gauge Was Found in Building ENS 476132012-01-19T05:00:00019 January 2012 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium-226 Sources Discovered at Waste Transfer Station ENS 475592011-12-28T07:00:00028 December 2011 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Two Nuclear Gauges Found at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 473972011-10-28T17:00:00028 October 2011 17:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Orphaned Source Discovered at a Scrap Metal Facility ENS 473962011-10-13T16:00:00013 October 2011 16:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Dose Misadministration ENS 462132010-08-03T06:00:0003 August 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radioactive Material Found in Scrap Shipment ENS 461472010-08-02T05:00:0002 August 2010 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Source Found in a Load of Scrap ENS 460612010-06-24T16:00:00024 June 2010 16:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Found Ra-226 Source ENS 459542010-05-21T04:00:00021 May 2010 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost Source Found in Scrap Metal ENS 458192010-04-07T05:00:0007 April 2010 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Depleted Uranium Found in Scrap Metal ENS 458022010-03-29T06:00:00029 March 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Found Portable Density Gauge ENS 456102010-01-04T06:00:0004 January 2010 06:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Moisture Density Gauge Found in Scrap Metal ENS 446902008-11-22T19:00:00022 November 2008 19:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radium Vials Discovered in Home ENS 444642008-08-08T07:00:0008 August 2008 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Lost or Stolen Tritium Exit Sign ENS 440582008-03-12T18:30:00012 March 2008 18:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Unidentified Radioactive Material Received at Metal Recycling Facility ENS 438112007-11-28T01:11:00028 November 2007 01:11:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Found at a School ENS 436812007-09-28T17:00:00028 September 2007 17:00:00 Agreement State Wisconsin Agreement State Report - Ndc Gauge Found in Scrap Yard ENS 436202007-09-06T15:30:0006 September 2007 15:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - California - Strontium 90 Source of Unknown Origin Found ENS 435452007-08-02T04:00:0002 August 2007 04:00:00 Agreement State Ten Tritium Exit Signs Stolen from Construction Site ENS 434432007-06-19T04:00:00019 June 2007 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving Higher than Prescribed Dose Delivered ENS 432372007-03-12T19:00:00012 March 2007 19:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Lost/Stolen Exit Signs ENS 432132007-02-20T13:30:00020 February 2007 13:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Abandoned Industrial Gauge Found in Scrap Yard ENS 431202007-01-24T20:00:00024 January 2007 20:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report from Washington - Radiation Monitors at a Recycling Facility Detected Radioactivity Coming from an Incoming Load of Scrap Metal ENS 427272006-07-21T05:00:00021 July 2006 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Radioactive Material Identified in Arc Furnace Ash ENS 427092006-07-15T05:00:00015 July 2006 05:00:00 Agreement State Louisiana Agreement State Report of Radioactive Source Found at Old Texaco Site ENS 419492005-08-26T05:00:00026 August 2005 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Tritium Exit Signs Found in Recyclables ENS 419302005-08-15T04:00:00015 August 2005 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report - Source of Unknown Origin Found in Railcar ENS 409302004-08-05T05:00:0005 August 2004 05:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State - Recovered Device Containing Radioactive Material ENS 408512004-06-30T22:30:00030 June 2004 22:30:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report from the New York City Bureau of Rad Health ENS 402392003-10-10T04:00:00010 October 2003 04:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving Discovery of Nuclear Gauge in Scrapyard ENS 401542003-09-09T07:00:0009 September 2003 07:00:00 Agreement State Agreement State Report Involving a Recovered Source 2024-07-15T12:59:00 | |