The following information was provided by the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via phone and email:
The Division of Radioactive Materials was notified on December 9, 2025, that an Alnor Instruments dew point measurement device, containing a radium-226 source, was located at a metal recycling facility in Bellwood, IL. The instrument was recovered by Agency staff. There was no indication of removable contamination. The device contains a 7 microcurie radium-226 foil that was manufactured and distributed under an Illinois-specific license that has since been terminated. An authorized service provider (DewPointer) was previously licensed and maintained the sealed source and device registry sheet but has since terminated operations. Labeling and serial numbers were damaged to the point that the prior owner will be unable to be determined. No public exposures in excess of regulatory limits are anticipated as a result of this incident. This device will be incorporated in the Agency's orphan source recovery program and properly disposed of as low level radioactive waste. This matter is considered closed.
Illinois item number: IL250050
- * * UPDATE ON 12/12/2025 AT 15:18 EST FROM GARY FORSEE TO KAREN COTTON * * *
The following information was provided by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (the Agency) via email:
Upon investigation, three additional Alnor dew point measurement devices were identified and surrendered to the Agency for disposal as low level radioactive waste. Device serial numbers will be researched to identify the owners and appropriate enforcement/cost recovery [actions will be] initiated where possible.
Notified (email) R3DO (Nguyen), NMSS Events Notification.
THIS MATERIAL EVENT CONTAINS A 'Less than Cat 3' LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL
Sources that are "Less than
IAEA Category 3 sources," are either sources that are very unlikely to cause permanent injury to individuals or contain a very small amount of radioactive material that would not cause any permanent injury. Some of these sources, such as
moisture density gauges or thickness
gauges that are Category 4, the amount of unshielded radioactive material, if not safely managed or securely protected, could possibly - although it is unlikely - temporarily injure someone who handled it or were otherwise in contact with it, or who were close to it for a period of many weeks. For additional information go to
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1227_web.pdf