NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

 Office of Public Affairs, Region I

 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406

 www.nrc.gov

No. I-04-004 February 11, 2004

CONTACT: Diane Screnci, 610/337-5330 Email: opa1@nrc.gov

Neil Sheehan, 610/337-5331

SEARCH UNDER WAY FOR RADIOACTIVE SOURCES MISSING FROM N.J. SITE

 Two sealed sources of radioactive material from a damaged moisture density gauge have

been reported missing from an East Orange, N.J., construction site. The Nuclear Regulatory

Commission has sent inspectors to the site in response to the loss of the sources, which was

reported to the NRC on February 9.

 While the amount of radioactive material involved is not significant, any individuals

having direct contact with one or both of the radioactive sources for a prolonged period of time

could potentially receive harmful amounts of radiation exposure. The sources -- one holding 11

millicuries of cesium-137 and the other holding 40 millicuries of americium-241 -- are less than

an inch in diameter. One is attached to the end of a shaft that is inserted into the soil; the other

source is short and cylindrical. The Humboldt 5001 Series portable moisture density gauge is

used for various purposes, including measuring the amount of moisture in soil. Measurements

are made using the device by projecting the radiation from the two sources into the ground and

then displaying the reflected radiation on a dial on top of the gauge.

 A photo showing what the gauge and its parts look like can be found at the bottom of this

press release.

 Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the sources is asked to contact

the NRC’s Headquarters Operations Center at (301) 816-5100 at any time. It accepts collect

calls. The NRC also understands the company that owns the gauge, PMK Group, Inc., is

offering a reward for the sources. The company can be reached at (908) 497-8900.

 The construction site is at the former Arcadian Gardens housing project in East Orange. 

The site is bounded by Sussex Avenue to the north, 9th Avenue to the south, 15th Street to the east

and Steuben Street to the west. At about noon on February 9, the gauge’s operator left the area

where the device was located. When the operator returned at about 12:35 p.m., the crushed

remains of the gauge were found. However, most of the device could not be found, most

importantly the two radioactive sources.
Shown above is the type of moisture density gauge involved, with its lid removed. One of the

sources would be at the bottom of the long handle at far left, while the other source would look

like the small cylindrical component found in the center of the device.

 On February 10, NRC inspectors performed surveys at the site using radiation detectors. 

Meanwhile, workers at the site removed soil in the area where the gauge was believed to have

been crushed. None of the searches yielded the sources. Also, because two shipments of scrap

metal were removed from the site after the gauge was found to be damaged, the scrap yard where

the material was sent was contacted. The radiation monitors used to check all incoming

shipments did not detect any radioactive material in recent shipments.

 The NRC will continue to review the event and assist with the search for the missing

sources.

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