Firm fined for loss of radioactive substance

A Belfast firm has been fined over £7,000 after being found guilty of the loss of a controlled radioactive substance.

The Irish Bonding Company Ltd. was found guilty for offences under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 at Belfast Magistrates Court.

These charges relate to the loss of a registered radioactive source in September 2002. The fine is made up of £5,000 for the first charge and £500 on each of 4 other charges.

DOE’s Industrial Pollution and Radiochemical Inspectorate of the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) carried out a detailed investigation into the loss of the source but this failed to provide any information on its whereabouts. The Chief Radiochemical Inspector requested the Director of Public Prosecutions to instigate legal proceedings against Irish Bonding Company Limited in December 2002.

An EHS spokesperson explained: "The radioactive source was incorporated into a device known as a level gauge. These are used for process control of the liquid levels in the containers in bottling and canning lines. The company failed to keep accurate records of the whereabouts of the radioactive source they had received. As a result there is now a radioactive source which cannot be accounted for.

"The radioactive material is sealed within a metal capsule and is therefore not accessible during normal use. If the capsule was deliberately broken and radioactive material inhaled or ingested there could be health implications for the person concerned."

The Radioactive Substances Act 1993 requires users of radioactive material to be registered.

A Certificate of Registration was issued to the company in September 1990 which imposed a number of conditions on the company including the need to keep accurate records of all their radioactive sources.

(MB)