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RE: Apparent Illegal Shipment
Bill et al
This is probably some NORM. Several years ago there was a rail car with
recycled scrape pipes, etc going back and forth between Fort Nelson and the
recycle yard in Prince George, BC. The recycle yard was rejecting it because
it alarmed their monitors but the oil company did not know it was
radioactive. I was doing a contract with Petro Canada at the time and found
out that there is no clear regulatory limits for NORM, or TENORM as the ANSI
committee prefers to call it.
_________________
John R Johnson, Ph.D.
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President, IDIAS, Inc
4535 West 9-Th Ave
Vancouver B. C.
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(604) 222-9840
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*****
or most mornings
Consultant in Radiation Protection
TRIUMF
4004 Wesbrook Mall
Vancouver B. C.
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Fax: (604) 222-7309
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-----Original Message-----
From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
[mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]On Behalf Of William V Lipton
Sent: February 13, 2004 5:20 AM
To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: 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.
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