ENS 51879
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
07:00 Apr 20, 2016 | |
| Title | Agreement State Report - Missing Static Ionization Source |
| Event Description | The following report was received from the State of Washington via email:
On 4/21/2016, the Radiation Safety Officer at University of Washington reported by phone and by email that a Po-210 static ionization source was missing from a lab at the Southlake Union [SLU] Campus. The static ionization source had been placed in a cardboard box in preparation for shipment back to NRD [manufacturer]. Someone in the lab thought the box was empty and placed it in the recycling. This was discovered on Monday, and the lab had been searching for it for a couple of days before notifying the Radiation Safety Officer. The immediate report value for Po-210 is 100 microCi and the 30 day report value is 1 microCi. Source information: Isotope: Po-210, Manufacturer: NRD, Model: P-2001, Initial Activity: 5 mCi (May 2015), Current Activity: approximately 1 mCi Device information: Nuclespot - Static Eliminator, Manufacturer: NRD, Model: P-2042-1000, Serial Number: Not reported. The facilities personnel are currently trying to find out from [the recycling company] where the recycling is taken for processing. [The recycling company] picks up recycling from the SLU campus twice a week on Friday and Tuesday. University of Washington Principal Investigator lab informed NRD of the loss. Once their investigation is complete, UW will provide us [WA Office of Radiation Protection] with a written report as required by WAC 246-221-240(2). Incident Number: WA-16-018
The following information was received from the State of Washington via email: WA-16-018 Po-210 static ionization source missing from University of Washington Update and Closure University of Washington submitted their final report on the lost Po-210 static eliminator. University of Washington is a Broad Scope A Licensee. Their [University of Washington] Radiation Safety staff performed a thorough investigation and search for the source. There are a total of six possible routes the source may have taken; all of which end up overseas. Initially, three potential avenues were explored at Recology CleanScapes: 1. If source stayed inside the box with the paper - processed as corrugated cardboard and sent overseas for recycling processing 2. If paper came out of the box and source stayed with paper - processed as mixed paper and sent overseas for recycling process 3. If paper came out of box and source came out of the paper - source would have filtered out into glass recycling stream (includes metal), which is sent to Strategic Materials. The RSO contacted Strategic Materials and identified an additional three possible outcomes for the source, if it made it to the Strategic Materials facility. 4. All incoming material is first passed by a large magnet, if the source housing was ferrous enough the source would have been transferred to a metal recycler. The source model is believed to have an aluminum housing. 5. If the source was not pulled out by the magnet, it was either manually removed by a picker and thrown in the trash, or 6. The source was pulled out by an Eddy Current device and would be in one of the device collection bins. This also would have been thrown in the trash. Staff at both facilities were shown photos of the source and interviewed, and no one had seen or moved the source. Ultimately, it is believed that the source, thoroughly wrapped in in paper, in a corrugated box was processed and sent overseas in a bulk cardboard or mixed paper recycle bundle. The Registry of Radioactive Sealed Sources and Devices - Safety Evaluation of Device (Number: NY 502 D 108 G) for the P-2042 model indicates an maximum external exposure rate of 0.05 mR/hr on contact with the source. This is equivalent to background radiation levels. It should be noted that the principle emission of Po-210 is an alpha particle, so the exposure falls off rapidly with increasing distance from the source. Therefore, the exposure to any individual handling the source would be negligible. Since Po-210 is an alpha emitter, the highest risk would be to a person who ate the radioactive foil. However, this scenario is extremely unlikely due to the fact that the individual would have to first remove the foil from the housing, and then have a desire to eat the foil. Some new additions to the information: Manufacturer: NRD Inc. Device Type: Nuclespot - Static Eliminator Device Model: P-2042-1000 Sealed Source Model Designation: P-2001 Serial Number: A2KG893 NRD Lease Number: 059345 Shipped to UW: 5/21/2015 Original Activity: 5 millicuries Activity when lost: 1 millicurie This source is considered lost and unrecoverable. The assessed health and safety risk is very low. This incident is considered CLOSED. Notified R4DO (Miller) and NMSS Events Notification via email. 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 |
| Where | |
|---|---|
| University Of Washington Seattle, Washington (NRC Region 4) | |
| License number: | WN-C001-1 |
| Organization: | Wa Office Of Radiation Protection |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+61 h2.542 days <br />0.363 weeks <br />0.0836 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | James Killingbeck 20:00 Apr 22, 2016 |
| NRC Officer: | Dong Park |
| Last Updated: | May 18, 2016 |
| 51879 - NRC Website | |
University Of Washington with Agreement State | |
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