Registered radioactive source in a Rumanian railway wagon, loaded with scrap metal

Site with SIR or place of the event: “Stomana Industry” S.A.– Pernik

Event description:

The Emergency centre of the NRA was notified for actuating of the portal radiation monitoring system of the “Stomana Industry” S.A.– Pernik. The latter has happened on 18^th July 2008, due to elevated radiation level in a scrap loaded railway wagon. The latter has been loaded in Romania and has been delivered from the Rumanian company “Romrecycling” Ltd. The railway wagon has been stationed on a separate track on a special platform on site and has been put under surveillance.

The detailed measurements have shown slightly elevated radiation levels, up to 0,16 µSv/h, on the surface of a small area on the side of the wagon. As a reference, the values of the natural gamma background in the area of the Pernik town are between 0,07 and 0,11 µSv/h. Following a field spectrometric analysis, the radioactive isotope Co-60 (Cobalt-60) has been identified. An expert estimation was done that there is no any danger for dissemination of the contamination outside the wagon and the low measured values itself indicate on absence of any direct danger for possible stayed in an immediate proximity personnel and population.

On 21^st of July the NRA notified the Rumanian nuclear regulatory authority (CNCAN) for the case. A principal agreement with CNCAN was achieved on the transportation of the scrap loaded wagon back to Rumania for that the Rumanian delivering company should undertake the expenses, in a full correspondence with the normal procedures for similar cases. On 29^th July 2008 an official permission was issued by CNCAN and after that the wagon together with its whole load was returned to Rumania.

Latter it was confirmed by the CNCAN that a radioactive source Co-60, used for control in steel foundry furnaces, has been discovered inside the scrap.

There is no any danger for the population and the environment.