Event Notification Report for February 14, 2019

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOST MO-99/TC-99 GENERATOR

The following is a synopsis from information received from the state of California via email.

The California radiation protection program was notified by the licensee of a partially depleted, missing Mo-99/Tc-99m generator. The generator was shipped using a commercial carrier on October 31, 2018, from the licensee's California facility to their facility in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Near the beginning of February 2019, the licensee became aware that the generator did not arrive at its destination. The commercial carrier spent the last couple of weeks searching their facilities for the missing generator with no success and has suspended the search and considering the package lost.

At the time of shipment, the generator contained 10.35 GBq (280 mCi), greater than 1000 times the 10 CFR 20 Appendix C activity for Mo-99, making it reportable under 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(i). It is housed in a 12.7 kg depleted uranium shield. The package was shipped as a label category Yellow II, with a TI [transportation index] of 0.2. By November 5, 2018, the activity of Mo-99 would have decayed below the 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(i) reporting criteria. By November 23, 2018, the activity of Mo-99 would have decayed below the 10 CFR 20.2201(a)(1)(ii) reporting criteria.

THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A "LESS THAN CAT 3" LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

Sources that are "Less than IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as moisture density gauges or thickness gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf

AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - UNPLANNED CONTAMINATION FROM OIL FIELD EQUIPMENT

The following was received via email from the state of Texas:

"On February 27, 2019, the Agency [Texas Department of State Health Services] confirmed that access to an oil field equipment wash building had been restricted since February 14, 2019, due to radioactive material contamination.

"On February 11, 2019, a load of waste from the licensee's facility had set off the radiation alarm at the landfill. The isotope was identified as antimony-124. The load was returned to the licensee's facility later that afternoon. On February 12, 2019, the licensee began surveying and investigating, starting with the dumpster and expanding to other areas. The contamination was found to be on piece/part of a fracking pump. On February 13, 2019, contamination was identified on a fracking pump trailer. On February 14, 2019, surveys identified contamination in the trench of one of the bays in the equipment wash building.

"Access to the building was restricted that day and is still restricted. The licensee's initial sampling from the trench identified antimony-124 and scandium-46. They are waiting on analyses of a second sampling of the trench sludge after water was removed/collected, and they will be sampling the traps/separators between the trench and the sanitary sewer system.

"The licensee is not licensed for, nor did it use, these tracer materials. Their equipment was being used on a well site at which another licensee had performed a tracer study while the equipment was in use. The tracer study licensee has been involved in some of the surveying and with the collection of contaminated equipment items they took possession of to be held or disposed in accordance with their license.

"An investigation into this event is ongoing. More information will be provided as it is obtained in accordance with SA-300."

Texas Incident #: I-9656