Radiation source found in Eurajoki scrapyard

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) in a press release on Tuesday said a radiation source was detected among the scrap metal in the scrapyard in Eurajoki, as the radiation detector gates issued alarms on 9 November.

STUK, the scrap company, and the Satakunta Rescue Department on Friday said, after verification measurements found that no risk was posed by the radiation to the workers or the environment, the scrap container was transferred to a secure shelter for the weekend,

On Monday, 12 November, a STUK inspector examined the source and measured the radiation in situ. According to the preliminary studies, the radiation source originates from a measuring instrument used by the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE).

The country’s industries use approximately 5,900 radioactive sources, for instance, in various industrial measuring instruments. The origin of the radiation source found in Eurajoki is a measuring instrument of SYKE used to determine soil property.

Organisations using radiation sources must have a licence issued by STUK and the licensee is responsible for the use and safekeeping of the source. STUK is now trying to clarify with SYKE’s report why the disposal of the radiation source has not been made according to regulations.

“Although in this case most likely no one’s health has been at risk, STUK will thoroughly investigate the chain of events so that we can learn from this case and develop our own inspection work,” said STUK Head of Office Santtu Hellstén.

The scrap metal entrepreneur acted correctly by quickly informing STUK about the radiation source, and handled the source with care. Radiation sources can cause great harm, among others, to industrial scrap metal smelters. It could cause a health risk if a container is opened by a non-professional and a radiation source is removed from its shield.

Hellstén said, “If the source in its container is placed right next to a human body, the person would receive a radiation dose of about the same size as during an intercontinental flight, about 40 microsieverts.” At a distance of one metre from the device, the radiation dose corresponds approximately to the dose received from the normal background radiation.

The device also has all the relevant warning signs for radiation sources. So it is highly unlikely that the incident could have caused any one a radiation dose with any adverse effect on health.