The following information was provided by the State via e-mail:
An exclusive load of trash from a residential clean out from a dwelling resulted in a rejection at the transfer station [Allied Waste] when the radiation alarms sounded. The hauler provided the name of a person who had assisted a clean out of a deceased relative's residence in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Upon notification, they were required to hire the services of a competent consultant [Radiac Environmental Services out of Brooklyn, NY] to separate and identify the radioactive constituents. The competent consultant discovered a small knob, affixed to a machine screw assembly, located within a voluminous collection of household refuse. The consultant subsequently determined that the [knob] assembly contained 5 micro-curies of radium-226. The consultant also arranged for the proper packaging and shipment of this gadget for the relative of the deceased owner.
The package was shipped from Newbury,
Massachusetts to Brooklyn,
New York on November 13, 2008. The shipment arrived in
New York on November 17, 2008. This matter is considered closed.