On August 28, 2008, a production operator in the UltraTechnekow (UTK) lab at the Petten (the Netherlands) radiopharmaceutical production facility was contaminated with molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) on the skin of both hands, most significantly the right thumb. The contamination was discovered approximately 1.5 hours after shift started when employees monitor themselves for contamination before leaving the radiological zone for their regular scheduled break. Immediate decontamination and radiological surveys of the production area were initiated. Preliminary calculations indicated that the employee potentially received a skin dose of between 1.2 Sv to 1.9 Sv on 1 cm2 on the right hand thumb. Other finger tips were contaminated as well, but to a much lesser extent. However, final calculations show that the employee received a local, maximum skin dose of approximately 220 mSv, less than the annual regulatory limit. During the extensive investigation and event reconstruction, it was determined that the employee unknowingly came into contact with a contaminated item during his pre-production preparation, for which gloves are not required.
Location: Covidien, Mallinckrodt Medical B.V., Petten Event date: Thu, 28-08-2008
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 […]