[ RadSafe ] Genoa Co-60 Radioactive Container

[edmond0033 at comcast.net]

I believe it is reactor produced.

Ed Baratta

edmond0033 at comcast.net

-----Original Message----- 
From: Cornette, Derek O USA CIV (US)
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 12:30 PM
To: Roy Parker ; The International Radiation Protection(Health Physics) 
Mailing List
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Genoa Co-60 Radioactive Container

Dr. Parker,
Sorry to bother you but do you know how Ba-133 sources are made.  Reactor, 
accelerator?  Sorry but I don't have an info on the Genoa source.

Respectfully,
Derek Cornette

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu 
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Roy Parker
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2011 11:25 AM
To: Radsafe
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Genoa Co-60 Radioactive Container

Does anyone have any definitive information on the below, particularly 
activity?  Is this another case of radioactive material in metal scrap?

Roy A. Parker, Ph.D.

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

Radioactive container scare ends at Genoa Felicity Landon | Wed, 10 Aug 2011

Cobalt-60 is made safe by robot after more than a year of fear at Italian 
port





The radiation scare at the port of Genoa has ended after more than a year, 
by using a robot to open the suspect container and get to the Cobalt-60 
inside.

The MSC container, which originated in Ajman in the UAE, arrived at the 
Italian port in July last year.

It was supposed to be carrying a consignment of copper and it was not until 
it had been on the quayside at Genoa's Voltri Terminal for several days that 
checks detected the presence of Cobalt-60.

This prompted fears that it could be a terrorist weapon and opening it could 
trigger a "dirty bomb".

For the following month, the box remained barricaded by other containers 
filled with stones and water while the authorities considered what to do 
next.

The opening of the box involved more than 100 people, including fire and 
nuclear response teams. The Cobalt-60 was placed in a casket of lead for 
transport to a disposal site.

An investigation will now be carried out into why the Cobalt-60 capsule was 
in the container.

Augusto Russo, of the Genoese fire team specialising in nuclear, chemical 
and biological emergencies, said that if anyone had handled it without 
precautions, they would probably now be dead.

Joe Alioto, VP at VeriTainer, which manufactures container scanning systems, 
said the episode highlighted dangers inherent in the supply chain.

The problem would have been avoided altogether if a system was in place to 
routinely scan containers for radiation at country of origin, using crane 
mounted scanning, he said.

"There is virtually no infrastructure whatsoever in place to do anything 
about it. This is something really bad waiting to happen," he added.
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