[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Apparent Illegal Shipment



I noticed the attached event in the NRC Daily Event Report.  A truck

arriving at a waste incineration facility alarmed a radiation monitor

and was found to be reading 0.13 mrem/hr.  According to the report,

"...The driver of the truck was told to return the load back to its

origin, BFI facilities, in Peabody, MA without any stops...."  This

implies that the site made a radioactive materials shipment without the

required  DOT controls.  Assuming the material shipped would qualify as

a "Limited Quantity", they needed the required notice, and the driver

had to be hazmat employee trained.  It does not seem that this was done,

although I say, "apparent," because the report may be incomplete.  This

would be a violation of DOT regulations.  If the contamination is

identified as NRC licensed material, this would also be a violation of

NRC regulations.  It does not seem that anyone involved, including the

MA regulators, noticed this.



Recognizing that this type of shipment represents a low degree of

hazard, DOT has issued exemptions, which may allow this shipment to

procede without meeting all of the normal DOT requirements (DOT-E 11406

for waste, DOT-E 10656 for scrap metal).  These exemptions require

approval by state authorities.  Again, I say "apparent," since one of

these exemptions may have been used and not noted in the report.



I'd appreciate further information on this.



The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

It's not about dose, it's about trust.

Curies forever.



Bill Lipton

liptonw@dteenergy.com



General Information or Other Event Number: 40511

Rep Org: MA RADIATION CONTROL PROGRAM

Licensee:

Region: 1

City: HAVERHILL State: MA

County:

License #:

Agreement: Y

Docket:

NRC Notified By: MARIO IANNACCONE

HQ OPS Officer: CHAUNCEY GOULD  Notification Date: 02/10/2004

Notification Time: 11:12 [ET]

Event Date: 02/10/2004

Event Time: [EST]

Last Update Date: 02/10/2004

Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY

10 CFR Section:

AGREEMENT STATE

 Person (Organization):

KENNETH JENISON (R1)

ROBERTO TORRES (NMSS)





Event Text



LOAD OF WASTE ARRIVING AT A WASTE-TO-ENERGY FACILITY SET OFF RADIATION

MONITORS



A load of waste or recycle materials that had been transported to

Covanta Haverhill, Inc (a waste-to-energy facility) in Haverhill, MA had

a radiation measurement of 0.13 mrem/hr when it entered the facility.

The driver of the truck was told to return the load back to its origin,

BFI facilities, in Peabody, MA without any stops. Once at the origin of

the shipment, the load is to be isolated until mitigation by a

consultant. A report detailing material identification and disposition

shall be submitted to the MA Radiation control Program.





************************************************************************

You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To

unsubscribe, send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu  Put the

text "unsubscribe radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail,

with no subject line. You can view the Radsafe archives at

http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/