[ RadSafe ] RADIOACTIVE RODS LOST, THEN LOACATED.

[Hansen, Richard]

Mike,

 

Some news organizations appear to also have confused these radiactive
rods with fuel rods.

 

The Homeland Securty Newswire (http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com)
e-mail summary of their stories today, had the headline in the e-mail
subject line "FedEx finds missing uranium" but the article itself never
uses the word "uranium."

http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/fedex-loses-then-finds-radioactive-r
ods

 

This article also has an "expert" overstating the threat of such tiny
amounts of radioactive material: 

Though it was unlikely anyone could have used the rods to create a
serious weapon, low-hazard materials are becoming more attractive to
terrorists who are less interested in 9/11-scale attacks and more
interested in creating fear and economic damage, according to Edwin
Lyman, senior staff scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a
nonprofit based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Lyman said such materials can be used to create "dirty bombs," which
cause fewer casualties but can still release hazardous materials when
they explode.

 

Note that Homeland Security Newswire is not associated with the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security.

 

Best regards,

Rick 

 

Rick Hansen

Senior Scientist

National Security Technologies, LLC

Contractor to the United States Department of Energy

 

Counter Terrorism Operations Support Program (CTOS)

Radiological/Nuclear Training Center at the Nevada National Security
Site 
(formerly the Nevada Test Site)

hansenrg at nv.doe.gov <mailto:hansenrg at nv.doe.gov> 

www.ctosnnsa.org

------------------------------

 

Message: 2

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2010 09:20:04 -0800

From: "Brennan, Mike  (DOH)" <Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV>

Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] RADIOACTIVE RODS LOST,           THEN LOACATED.
Missing

                rods located.

To: "The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics)

                MailingList"         <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>

 

I read several popular press articles about this.  A number of people
who felt informed enough to comment clearly thought these were spent
fuel rods.  Others felt that all radioactive materials shipments should
be handled by the military.