PNO-I-00-034
- Mercy Hospital
October
25, 2000
PRELIMINARY
NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-I-00-034
This
preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of
POSSIBLE
safety or public interest significance. The information is as
initially
received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all
that
is known by the Region I staff on this date.
Facility
Licensee Emergency Classification
Mercy
Hospital
Notification of Unusual Event
1400
Locust Street
Pittsburgh,
PA 15219-5166
Alert
Docket
No: 03002982
Site Area Emergency
License
No: 37-01321-02
General Emergency
South
Pittsburgh Cancer Center X Not Applicable
4941
Clairton Boulevard
Pittsburgh,
PA 15236
Docket
No.: 030-34832
License
No.: 37-30477-01
Subject: Depleted Uranium Sets off Alarm at Scrap Yard
On October 24, 2000, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) notified Region I that depleted uranium (DU) blocks, removed from a linear accelerator (Linac), were found at the South Pittsburgh Cancer Center (SPCC). It was determined that SPCC purchased the Linac from Mercy Hospital over two years ago, to be sent to Columbia, South America. The proposed recipient in Columbia declined to take the unit and the unit was then disassembled at the SPCC facility and the pieces, including the DU components, were sent to a scrap yard for disposal. When the pieces containing DU arrived at the scrap yard, the radiation monitor alarmed. The unit was subsequently returned to the SPCC. The FBI was notified by an unrelated party and the FBI notified the ACHD. ACHD sent an inspector to the SPCC facility on October 24, 2000, and the inspector measured 38 to 56 millirem per hour on contact to four black rectangular blocks found in the basement. Removable contamination measurements of the blocks revealed 20 to 27 counts per minute and markings on the blocks identified the material as uranium. Mercy Hospital personnel are in the process of performing surveys of the unit, securing the unit, and arranging for final disposal of the unit.
This information is current as of 2:30 p.m., October 25, 2000. Region I will continue to followup on Mercy Hospital's and SPCC's investigation of this event.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been notified of this event. The information in this PN has been reviewed with the licensees. NRC Region I Office of Public Affairs has been briefed and is prepared to respond to inquiries.
Contact:
David Everhart
Mohamed M.
Shanbaky
(610) 337-6936