The Department of Public Health HSE North East and the EPA’s office of Environmental Enforcement are urging people to stay away and not to tamper with a nuclear gauge device, which was stolen from a van in Drogheda Co Louth in the last 24 hours.
The device contains an encapsulated supply of caesium which is a radioactive source and may have health implications for anybody who might open, break or tamper with the container.
Dr Keith Ian Quintyne, Specialist in Public Health Medicine North East advises members of the public that if they find this device, to “avoid tampering with it, and to promptly link with the local Gardaí and the Environmental Protection Agency.” Dr Quintyne added that “Radiation risks to the general public are low if the container remains intact”
The radioactive source of interest is Caesium-137 which is welded inside stainless steel capsules. These sealed capsules or sources are designed to prevent leakage of radioactive material under severe accident conditions.
The source is part of an instrument called a Nuclear Moisture Density gauge (or Nuclear Gauge) which is specifically designed to measure the moisture and density of soils, aggregates, cement, and lime treated materials, and to measure the density of asphalt concrete.
Cs-137 is a man-made radioactive isotope that has a half-life of 32 years (i.e. it is a long-lived source that will be radioactive for a long time). Cs-137 emits radiation in the form of medium energy gamma rays, and to a lesser extent, high-energy beta particles, which can disrupt molecules in cells and deposits energy in tissues, causing damage.
Exposure to large amounts of radioactive caesium can damage cells in your body from the radiation. You might also experience acute radiation syndrome, which includes nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, bleeding, coma, and even death in cases of very high exposures.
What to do if you find the stolen items
Members of the public should move away from them, and call their local Garda station or call the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 01 268 0100. This will allow for co-ordination of appropriate assistance.
What to do if this item has already been handled
Members of the public should remain where they are and call their local Garda station or call the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 01 268 0100. This will allow for co-ordination of both medical and technical assistance.
The owner of the stolen item is on standby to collect it as soon as it is deemed safe; the integrity of the item will be checked by technical experts (dose rate measurements and wipe test) and managed accordingly, in liaison with the licensee and the manufacturer.
