RADIOACTIVE material found by workers at a metal recycling centre was traced to a science lab at the University of York where it had been lost during a decommissioning process, it has emerged.

A Freedom of Information request to the Health and Safety Executive revealed there have been more than 30 cases of radioactive materials going missing from universities, hospitals and businesses in the UK in the last decade.

One of the incidents involved a contained source of 370 kilobecquerels of radium-226, which was detected at a scrap metal recycling plant in February 2007.

The misplaced waste was found to be from University of York, where it had been used for teaching purposes in its biology department before going missing.

According to the report by HSE, radioactive sources are often discovered at metal recycling facilities with detectors, but the original owner of the source is usually extremely difficult or impossible to identify.

Prosecutions depend on whether conviction would be likely and if it were in the public interest, but they are considered if the original owner can be identified.

Although the material in this case was identified as being from the University of York, HSE sent only written advice.

A University of York spokesman said: “This isolated incident occurred when a piece of laboratory equipment used in the Department of Biology was being decommissioned.

 

“The equipment contained a radioactive source, but during the decommissioning process the radioactive source could not be traced.

“The University informed all the relevant authorities, but shortly afterwards managed to trace the radioactive source to a registered radioactive disposal depot in South Yorkshire, where it was dealt with appropriately.

 

“At no time was there any danger to the public or University community as the source was always contained.”

British Metals Recycling Association head of environment Howard Bluck said: “Metal recycling does not use radiation in its processes yet yards are duty bound to investigate any suspect load and report to the enforcing authorities.

“Many metals recycling yards have detectors to monitor for radioactive material yet some small radioactive sources can be shielded within a load and so can go undetected.”

John Large, an internationally renowned consultant to the nuclear industry, said he was concerned about the large number of incidences of lost radioactive materials exposed by the investigation.

He said: “Some of substances remain extremely radiologically hazardous for many years – such slack security raises deep concerns about the accessibility of these substances to terrorists.”