NRC: News Release - Region I - 2003-056 - Radioactive Material Removed from Bankrupt Central PA. Site

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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-03-056		September 29, 2003
CONTACT:	Diane Screnci (610) 337-5330 Neil A. Sheehan (610) 337-5331	E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov
RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL REMOVED FROM BANKRUPT CENTRAL PA. SITE Printable Version
A large quantity of radioactive material has been safely shipped to a disposal site in South Carolina following the bankruptcy of a Central Pennsylvania company. The company, PermaGrain Products, Inc., declared bankruptcy at its Quehanna, Pa., site last December. The site housed a pool irradiator containing a large quantity of cobalt-60. PermaGrain used the irradiator to produce durable wood flooring for commercial applications. The site is owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and was leased to PermaGrain. Following the bankruptcy, the Commonwealth provided security for the sources. Plans for the removal and packaging of the sources were developed and financed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, as a federal removal action. It was requested by the NRC and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). EPA, NRC and PADEP have worked closely on the project for the last several months. NRC inspectors from the Region I office in King of Prussia, Pa., observed preparations for the shipments and participated in many meetings concerning removal of the cobalt- 60 sources from the PermaGrain site. Inspectors witnessed dry runs of the cask loading operation in advance of the shipments to assure safety of the shipments. The final shipment arrived at the low level waste disposal site in Barnwell, S.C., on Thursday (9/25).