CBRN event in Netherlands on Tue 11th November 2003

On 5 November 2003, Reukema Blocq & Maneschijn (RBM) alarmed the Inspectorate, that they had a radiation alarm of their portal detector. It turned out that the 40 feet container with yellow copper was shipped from Nigeria to Rotterdam and was transported by truck to Metallo Chimique in Beerse (Belgium). At Metallo the container was opened and due to unknown reasons the load was refused. By order of the trader, Sudamin Recycling GMBH & Co. KG. in Essen (Germany), the container was transported to RBM. Based on the portal detector readings the doserate at the outside of the container was estimated by the Inspectorate to be a few microSieverts per hour. On 11 November 2003 the container was investigated by a firm, specialized in tracing radioactive sources. The doserate at the outside of the container was 2,5 microSieverts per hour. With a portable gamma spectometer it was not clear which radionuclide caused the enhanced radiation level of the container. After partial unloading of the container the firm found an unshielded encapsulated strontium-90 (Sr90/Y90) source. The source was taken to a radiological facility and examined there. The source holder beared identification marks. These read probably 'IPL 90SR-90Y 125 mCi 2-83 67-850 E-891' (see figures 1 and 2). The gamma doserate at the surface of the source was 14 milliSieverts per hour. Based on the identification marks the original activity was 4,6 GBq. Both in Belgium as in The Netherlands there were no adverse health effects because the source was shielded by the load. The skindose of the face of the officer, who put the source in safety, was estimated (conservative) at 45 milliSieverts and his dose to the covered eye lens at 10 milliSieverts. At the location of loading, possibly in Nigeria, there could have been adverse health effects because the beta dose rate at 10 cm was about 2,8 Gray per hour.