CBRN event in Republic of North Macedonia on Fri 15th May 2015

On 15th May 2015 the Radiation Safety Directorate's inspectors were informed by an authorized technical service on increased radiation in a truck loaded with metal scrap (aluminium, copper and messing), with dose rate of 84 μSv/h measured on the surface of the truck.
The truck was loaded in metal scrap yard in Veles, which collects metal scrap from allover of Macedonia and it was intended for export from Macedonia to a facility in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The truck was unloaded and it was found a bale with increased radiation of 372 μSv/h at the surface. Background dose rate measured was 160 nSv/h. The bale was unloaded and 3 radioactive sources found - 3 disks of dismantled radioactive lightning rods with Eu-152. Maximum dose rate measured of all three sources was 10,4 mSv/h.

Found radioactive lightning rods were stored at the temporary storage facility Welding Institute JUG Skopje.

Found radioactive sources are Category 4, approximately 7 GBq, estimated by dose rate measurement, which also corresponds to the fact that all radioactive lightning rods installed in Macedonia ('70's and '80'-s of 20th Century) were Category 4 radioactive sources.

The origin of the sources is from Macedonia, but it is not known from which facility at this time. It is not known whether the source has caused over-exposure of members of the public.

Based on this the event is rated as level 1 on the INES scale.