CBRN event in Italy on Fri 14th March 2008

In the period between January and February 2008 the Environmental Care Command (Comando Carabinieri per la Tutela dell’Ambiente - CCTA) impounded at some Italian firms about 30 tons of stainless steel contaminated by Cobalt 60. The material, in the form of rolled steel coils (6.0 mm thick, 2 m width, about 10tons mean weight), had been imported to Italy from China in May 2007, arrived at the La Spezia port together with some other not contaminated coils. The rolled steel coils were manufactured in China. The contaminated coil identification numbers are: KA70168101, KA70168102, KA70168103. CCTA investigations were made, also supported by the Italian National Agency for the Environmental Protection and Technical Services (APAT), the Customs Office, the Italian Regional Agencies for the Environmental Protection and the Provinces Fire Corps. Radiation levels of about 20 microSieverts per hour at contact of the coil and about 4 microSieverts per hour at 1 meter were measured. Some preliminary results for the activity concentration, coming from gamma spectrometric analysis, show values of about 24 Bq/g. Further investigation and radiological consequence evaluation are still under way. The event was reported to the Office of Public Prosecution. During the investigation the transfer of the same material to other foreign firms was ascertained. Consequently cooperation of the Interpol was requested by CCTA.