ENS 55548
ENS Event | |
|---|---|
05:00 Oct 27, 2021 | |
| Title | Found Ge-68 Source |
| Event Description | The following information was received via E-mail:
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency / IEMA) was notified on 10/27/21 by Siemens Medical Solutions that a PET phantom source had been identified at a scrap recycling facility in Gilberts, Illinois. IEMA staff should be on site at approximately 1500 CDT today (10/27/21) to impound the source and assess for contamination. Updates will be provided as they become available. The radiation safety officer for Siemens Medical Solutions contacted the Agency to advise that a cylindrical PET phantom source (Ge-68, typically around 4 mCi) had been identified at Elgin Recycling. The Elgin Recycling facility is located in Gilberts, Illinois. Reportedly, the facility identified a shielded container (pig) and surveyed it prior to processing. Their handheld meter identified radioactivity and they contacted the manufacturer listed on the container (Siemens). Siemens advised the facility to secure the source away from the public and await pickup (likely late next week). Rather than have an unlicensed facility responsible for security, shielding and accountability of a licensed source; IEMA staff will facilitate pickup today and transfer the source over to Siemens staff when they are available next week. Preliminary information indicates the source was returned from India and sent to Hegele Logistics in Wood Dale, Illinois. Hegele Logistics failed to identify the source and sent the material for recycling. Agency staff have previously responded to Hegele Logistics in August of 2019. Siemens is researching the shipment to determine if additional sources could be present. Safety Assessment: Agency staff will retrieve information on the source and actions taken by Elgin Recycling staff which will facilitate a characterization of exposures, if any. Assuming the source has not decayed at all (271 day half-life), a 4 mCi Ge-68 source would have an exposure rate of approximately 2.3 mR/hour at one meter. The sources are typically a sealed, cylindrical epoxy not lending itself to removable contamination. Updates to this assessment will be provided. Illinois Item Number: IL210034 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 | |
|---|---|
| Siemens Medical Solutions Hoffman Estates, Illinois (NRC Region 3) | |
| License number: | IL-01130-02 |
| Organization: | Illinois Emergency Mgmt. Agency |
| Reporting | |
| Agreement State | |
| Time - Person (Reporting Time:+11.18 h0.466 days <br />0.0665 weeks <br />0.0153 months <br />) | |
| Opened: | Gary Forsee 16:11 Oct 27, 2021 |
| NRC Officer: | Donald Norwood |
| Last Updated: | Oct 27, 2021 |
| 55548 - NRC Website | |
Siemens Medical Solutions with Agreement State | |
WEEKMONTHYEARENS 561602022-10-12T05:00:00012 October 2022 05:00:00
[Table view]Agreement State Leaking Sealed Source ENS 555482021-10-27T05:00:00027 October 2021 05:00:00 Agreement State Found Ge-68 Source 2022-10-12T05:00:00 | |