[ RadSafe ] Example of Non-Regulated Materials

[AnaLog Services, Inc.]

This episode is confusing to me.  The presentation certainly does not
clarify things much.  For instance how could there be any I-131 (or a couple
of the other short lived tracer nuclides) left at the facility after ten
years?  Where were the state and federal regulators with respect to those
large sealed sources left laying around?  They could not expect the
employees of a bankrupt company to take them home for safe keeping I
wouldn't think.

I know some of the principals involved, and they are not evil people.  The
business about hidden rooms and false walls seems odd to me also.  I am not
privy to the real story or history of this unfortunate event, but I suspect
there is far more to it since none of the principals was ever charged
criminally.  The oil price crash in 1986 played a big part in this drama,
but the true story remains clouded to say the least.

Interestingly, as far as I know, none of the principals has suffered any ill
health effects despite one of them holding the title of the highest body
burden of Am-241 of anybody on the planet (according to him).

Syd H. Levine
AnaLog Services, Inc.
Phone:  (270) 276-5671
Telefax:  (270) 276-5588
E-mail:  analog at logwell.com
Web URL:  www.logwell.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <blreider at aol.com>
To: <radsafe at radlab.nl>
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 8:22 PM
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Example of Non-Regulated Materials



Hey RadSafe Group:

I know we all at times get caught up in LNT discussions, but there is a
reason that radiation professionals are needed and rules and regs need to be
evaluated by professionals and reasonable written plans for radiation safety
put into place and implemented. I thought you might like to see an example
of what happens when regulations are ignored.

I believe this talk was by the EPA or USACE following the removal of sources
from the Gulf Nuclear Inc. (GNI) Webster site. This was the number one
potential dirty bomb site following 9-11.  The remediation was performed
under CERCLA by the EPA.  To my knowledge, GNI made well logging sources and
also made check and calibration sources under the name "The Source".   Gulf
Nuclear went bankrupt in 1990.  At some point the state put a fence up
around the site which is between a medical center and an oncology building.

http://www.ttemidev.com/oscAdmin2008/conference/materials/180/02_stranded.pdf

In case you didn't read the zeros correctly the presentation states there
were up to 200 million dpm per 100cm2 finely powdered Am-241  on the
surfaces.*   Dose rates ranged up to 1000 rem per hour.



Barbara Reider, CHP



* NRC recommended free release level is 20dpm/100cm2 removable transuranics
per  RG 1.86.
The State of TX uses 200dpm/100cm2.
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/reg-guides/power-reactors/active/01-086/01-086.pdf)

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