On June 22, 2006 the Inspectorate was notified by a scrap metal dealer that they had a radiation alarm of their portal detector. Using handheld survey equipment they measured an enhanced radiation level at the surface of a 40 ft container of 100 microsieverts per hour. The container was unloaded by a firm specialised in tracing and recovering of radioactive sources in scrap metal. An object, made of an unknown metal, which was expected to be a collimator, with in it a cesium-137 source was found. This 'pseudo-source holder' contained no shutter mechanisms, nor lifting connector. There was no identification tag and no warning sign for radioactivity on the surface of it either.The 'source holder' weighs about 6 kilograms, is 12 centimeters long and has a diameter of 12 centimeters.The dose rate in the centre of the radiation-bundle at 1 meter distance of the source holder was about 350 microsieverts per hour. The activity of the source was approximately 4,0 GBq. The annex contains pictures of the recovered source. It is most likely that the enclosure of the source was damaged, because inside the container there was a spot contaminated by cesium-137.The scrapload was traded by Emre Metal, Istanbul, Turkey. The container identification number is INBU 476685-8. The container was shipped on June 17, 2006 in Istanbul, Turkey, and transported by MSC Alyssa. After arrival in Rotterdam, the container was transported to Jewometaal on June 22, 2006. The origin of the source could not be determined. The source has been transported to COVRA, the radioactive waste facility in the Netherlands.
The Pacific News Bulletin (since September 1986) and its predecessor Pacific Bulletin was published for the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) Movement by the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre (PCRC), first based in Petersham (Australia) and later at Suva on the Fiji Islands. The NFIP movement grew out of the first regional Nuclear Free Pacific […]
On 29 June 2026, the Urenco Group issued a statement announcing that the UK Government formally requested the company to support its effort "to re-establish a nuclear fuel cycle for reactor fuel for defence purposes." The UK Government announced its intent to re-establish this program in November 2024. This announcement is part of a broader […]
The Netherlands has agreed to allow Urenco to be used for the British military nuclear program. This clears the way for uranium enriched by Urenco to be used in nuclear weapons. With his decision, Foreign Minister Berendsen (CDA Christen Democrats) is departing from the principle that civilian and military nuclear applications must remain strictly separate. […]
Behnam Raeesian is an internationally recognized visual artist and poster designer from Iran, known for bold political and cultural works. Through exhibitions, workshops, jury roles, and collaborations with cultural institutions worldwide, he has built a strong voice in contemporary political graphic design. His projects confront complex issues such as nuclear risk and technological impact, transforming […]
Everywhere you look, the nuclear industry’s hype machine is in overdrive. Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, and the UK government all tout small modular reactors as the silver bullet for climate change and energy security. Tech billionaires are hiring nuclear veterans. Wall Street is whispering about “round-the-clock power” for artificial intelligence data centers. For those old enough […]
