The following is summary of information received from the
Georgia Radioactive Materials Program Environmental Protection Division (
EPD) via email:
On January 20, 2025, the licensee reported to EPD that during the closure of their location in Lawrenceville, GA sources were lost in transit back to the manufacturer. Many sealed sources were shipped by this locations staff in multiple shipments to E and Z for disposal. One shipment contained 2 packages under one [contract carrier] tracking number, and one of these packages contained the Co-60 vial. This shipment was cancelled and returned to CVG Physicians Group, LLC by the [contact carrier] due to improper labeling, but only one package was returned.
The licensee radiation safety officer (RSO) discovered the loss months later on November 21, 2024, when reviewing documentation for a radioactive material license amendment request to remove this location as a location of use. The RSO noticed a closeout survey performed by West Physics that reported the sealed sources were transferred to a radioactive materials license which the RSO was not familiar with. Further investigation showed this was not accurate, and most sources were sent back to E and Z. Reviewing the return receipts sent by E and Z, the RSO discovered seven sources could not be accounted for. Of these sources, the Co-60 source was the only missing source with a high enough activity to be a reportable event.
The licensee has searched the location and contacted other locations on the license to make sure that the sources were not transferred to those locations. The sources were not transferred and were no longer on site. The [common carrier] has been contacted and has not been able to locate the lost package. The source was shipped inside a shielded lead pig labeled as radioactive within a box. It is unlikely that any occupational worker or member of the public received any significant exposure. All staff involved in the incident have received training. EPD staff is investigating further and will update as new information becomes available.
Georgia Incident Number: 90
Isotope: Co-60
Activity: 53 microcuries (12/1/2018)
Manufacturer: E and Z
Serial Number: 2029-29-3
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