ML20137M370
| ML20137M370 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/04/1997 |
| From: | John Lubinski NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Japara J SINGAPORE |
| References | |
| SSD, NUDOCS 9704080073 | |
| Download: ML20137M370 (3) | |
Text
,
\\
W ao 4
UNITED STATES y"
s y
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
't WASHINGTON, D.C. 20565-0001 April 4, 1997 Jamina Japara NatSteel Ltd Technical Division i
22 Tanjong Kling Road Singapore 628048
SUBJECT:
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS IN RECYCLED METALS This letter is in response to your electronic mail requesting information on radioactive material in recycled metals. I assume your interest focuses on radioactive sources accidentally being incorporated into the scrap stream rather than recycling of contaminated metals. If you are interested in recycling of contaminated metals, you should contact Robert Meck of NRC, at (301) 415-6205 or by electronic mail at RAM 2@NRC. GOV.
I am providing the following responses to your specific questions:
l 1.
whether reports of discoveries of radioactive materialin iron and steelindustries increased in recent years are due to increasing surveillance by the industry or increasing radioactive materials entering the recycled business.
NRC does not have statistical information to support whether increases in reports of i
radioactive material in the iron and steel industries are due to increased surveillance or an increase in devices entering the scrap stream.
4 During communications with the iron and steelindustries, and trade associations representing i
these industries, it was indicated that the number of companies using surveillance equipment f
has increased. However, there is no requirement for the industry to report this information and the trade associations have not provided this information to NRC. You may consider asking the following trade associations for additionalinformation conceming the practice of monitoring for radioactive material:
Steel Manufacturers Association American Iron & Steel Institute 1730 Rhode Island Avenue NW 110117th Street NW, Suite 1300 Washington, DC 20036 Washington, DC 20036-4700 (f
Telephone:
202-296-1515 Telephone:
202-452-7138 Facsimile:
202-296-2506 Facsimile:
202-463-6573 Licensees that possess and use devices or sources that contain radioactive material are f
required to report losses of the materials. The NRC has not seen a significant tread of increases in reports of lost radioactive sources or devices. However, Samuel Pettijohn of NRC, (301) 415-6822 or electronic mail at SLP@NRC. GOV, is the contact person for the Nuclear Materials Event Database which contains information on reports of losses of radioactive materials, including information from Agreement States. You may consider contacting Mr. Pettijohn conceming specific information that is included in the database.
9704080073 970404
\\
.I.I.I.W
t J mina J p.*.ra 2
NRC does not maintain a listing of persons that find radioactive material. Specifically, these persons are not required to report to NRC when they find the material. Therefore, NRC does not have a complete listing of these persons. However, you may consider contacting James Yusko, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, at (412) 442-4000. Mr.Yusko has been maintaining an informal listing of such information.
2.
statistics on the application of radioactive sources in industries (instrumentation, medical etc) such as how many gauges, smoke detectors etc being manufactured over the years, life span of such gauges etc.
NRC does not maintain a complete listing of devices possessed and used by its licenses.
However, NRC estimates that there are approximately 1.8 million devices currently in use in the United States.
Vendors of certain devices, such as those possessed by persons exempt from licensing and by persons using material under general licenses, are required to report transfers of certain 4
devices to NRC. Many of these vendors have requested that this information be withheld from public disclosure. You may request copies of this information in accordance with 10 CFR 9.23. The staff will evaluate the availability of this information based on your request. I have enclosed a copy of 10 CFR 9.23 for your convenience.
3.
would appreciate if you could give me some links to where I can find those information.
The responses to your previous questions include contacts for further information.
Sincerely John W. L binski, Mechanical Engineer Sealed Source Safety Section Medical, Academic, and Commercial Use Safety Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Enclosure:
10 CFR 9.23 cc:
Robert Meck, NRC Samuel Pettijohn, NRC James Yusko, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources Distribution:
SSSS rif NE01 DOCUMENT NAME: C:\\ FILES \\JAPARA Ta rece6ve a copy of this document. Indecste in the bos:
- C' = Copy w,thout attachment / enclosure
- E" = Copy with attachment / enclosure
- N" = No copy OFFICE IMAB 4J e
l l
l NAME JLubinskiljl DATE 04/d 197 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
e 9'23 DCl PART 9 e PUBUC RECORDS i
are exempt from disclosure under
[* f a 23
~
Requests for recores.
(3) Upon receipt of a request made under paragraph (b) of this section, I 9.17(a). If the head of the office de-j i rec (a)(1) A person may request access to th g h,e,xe g g j
ords routinely made available by the the NRC shall provide written no;1fl.
m es ag NRC under 19.21 in person or in w ritmg cation to the requester that indicates not be contrary to the public interest t
request e ed, and will not affect the rights of any I
et the NRC Public Document Room. 2120
,g ep n LL Street NW., Washington. DC 20555
- r. umber to contact to find out the person, the head of the office may au-t.horize disclosure of the agency status of the request, and other perti, records. If the head of the office au-(i) Each record requested must be nent matters regarding the processing described in sufficient detail to enable thorizes disclosure of the agency 1
of the request' RC shall advise a re-records, the head of the office shall l
the Pubhc Document Room to locate the (4) (1) The N furnish the agency records to the Di-1 record. If the description of the record is quester that fees will be assessed if-rector, Division of Freedom of Infor-riot sufficient to s!!ow the Public (A) A request involves anticipated mation and Publications Services, who J
Document Room staff to identif> the costa in excess of tha minimum speci-shall notify the requester of the deter-
, secord, the Pubhc Document Room shall fled in I 9.39: and mination in the manner provided in
- adsese the tr quester to select the record (B) Search and duplication is not i 9.27.
$ from the indeses pubbshed under provided without charge under I 9.39; (b) Except as provided in paragraph a: ( 9 21(c)(C).
or (c) of this section, if, as a result of the
[ (ii)In order to obtain copies of record 6 (C) The requester does not specifi-review specified in paragraph (a) of expeditiouni), a person rnay open an cally state that the cost involved is ac-this section, the head of the responsi-e account at the Pubbr Document Room ceptable or acceptable up to a spect g ble office finds that agency records with the pris ate c ontracting firm that is fled limit.
should be denied in whole or in part.
responsible for duphratina NRC records.
(11) The NRC has discretion to dis E the head of the office will submit that (2) A person may also order record, continue processing for records re-finding to the Director, Divis1'm of routinely rnadr avaiLble by the NRC sponsive to a request made under this Freedom of Information and PubHca-under i 9 21 from the National Technical paragraph (b) unta-tions Services, who will, in consulta-Ininrmatmn Service,5285 Port Royal (A) A required advance payment has tion with the Office of the General
_Rond Sp*ing7i,;d t.irgins 2216L-
- been received:
Counsel, make an independent deter-(B) The requester has agreed to bear mination whether the agency records
- the estimated costa; should be denied in whole or in part.
(b) A person may request agency records by submitting a request au- [ (C) A determination has been made If the Director, Division of Freedom of thorized by 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(3) to the ~ on a request for walver or reduction of Information and Publications Services,
- fees:or determines that the agency records Director Division of Preadom of In-(D) The requester meets the require-sought are exempt from disclosure and 1
formation and Publications Services, ments of I 9.39.
disclosure of the records is contrary to Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear (c)If a requested agency record that the public interest and will adversely i
Regulatcry Commission, Washington.
has been reasonably described is locat-affect the rights of any person, the Di-DC 20555. The request must be in writ-ed at a place other than the NRC rector, Division of Freedom of Infor-i ing and clearly state on the envelope and Public Document Room or NRC head-mation and Publications Services, in the letter that it is a "Preedom of quarters, the NRC may, at its discre-shall notify the requester of the deter-Information Act request." The NRC tion, make the record evallable for in-mination in the manner provided in does not consider a request as received spection and copying at the other loca' J 9.2'I.
until;t has been received and losgrd tra tion.
by the Director Division of Freedom of (d) Except as provided in i 9.39-(c) For ageney recorde located in the Information and Publications Services, (1) If the record requested under ofhee of a Commissioner or in the Office Office of Administration.
paragraph (b) of this section is a 1 A Preedom of Information re-record available thmugh the National of the Secretary of the Commission, the U qu(es)t covers only agency records that Technical Information Service, the Assistant Secretary of the Commission 3 are in existence on the date the Direc-NRC shall refer the requester to the shall make the initial determination to a: tor, Division of Preedom of Informa-National Technical Information Serv.
dany ugency records in whole or in part
" tion and Pubitcations Services, re-lee; and under i 9.t7(s) instead of the Director.
8 ceives the request. A reouest does not (2) If the requested record has been Division of Freedom of Information and cover agency records destroyed or dis-placed in the NRC Public Document Publications Services. For agency carded beiore receipt of a request or Room under I 9.21, the NRC may records located in ths Office of the which are created after the date of the inform the requester that the record is General Counsel, the General Counsel request.
in the PDR, and that the record may shell make the initial determination to be obtained in mocordance with the (2) All Freedom of Information Act procedures set forth in paragraph (a) o deny agency recordsin whole orin part requests for copies of agency records 3 instead of the Director, Division of must reasonably describe the agency of this section.
A Freedom of Information and records sought in sufficient detail to _-- (e) The Director, Division of Free. E Publications Services.For agency permit the NRC to identify the re-dom of Information and Publications $ records located in the Office of the quested agency records. Where possi-Services, shall promptly forward a inspector General.the Assistant om of ma n Act rege Wycw Nest for Aus or h l'c or t n g
i date made under i 9.23(b) for an agency Assistant inspector General foe titles, docket numbers, file designa-record which is not publicly available investigations shall make the initial tl d
er ormation w in the NRC Public Document Room determination to deny agency records in
,ye under i 9.21 to the head of the office w hole or in part instead of the Director.
If a requested agency record is not de-fd scribed in sufficient detail to permit e
e Counse its identification, the Director, Divi E
,q,,te i an to Pubhestions Services.11 the Assistant I*
alon of Freedom of Information and 3 fill Secretary ol'the Comraission. the duct a Publications Ser.lces, shall inform the General Counsel. the Assistant records responsive to the requmt and Inspect r General for Audits. or the requester of the deficiency within 10 compile those agency records to be re-working days after receipt of the re-viewed for initial disclosure determina-Assistant inspector General for quest and ask the requester to submit tion under il 9.25 and 9.2'l.
Investigations determines that the additional information regarding the egency records sought are esempt from 8 9.25 Inmal hh hwe-request or meet with appropriate NRC d.sclosure and that their disclosure is
, personnel in order to clarify the re.
(a) The head of the responsible contracy to ths pubhc imerest and will quest
- office shall review agency records lo*
dmWy aHect the ngbto of any pemn.
cated in a search under i 9.23(b) to de-termine whether the agency records the AssistantSecsetaryof the Commission, the General Counsel the September 29,1995 9-4