CBRN event in Unknown, Canberra area, Australia on Tue 31st December 2013

An AM241 source sealed in a fixed radiation gauge was disposed of at a local landfill “without approval from the local regulator.” The company disposing of the device wrongly acquired approval for disposal from the local landfill operator rather than the local regulator. After measuring the dose rate of the gauge (less than 5µSv/h), the landfill operator wrongly determined that it was permissible for disposal in the landfill. Subsequent to an investigation by the local regulator, the radiation gauge was retrieved from the landfill and sent back to the company for proper disposal. This incident has been deemed a result of human error and of “not following procedures.”