Finding a radioactive source in scrap has become a common radiological occurrence world-wide. This is unfortunate because there is no way of knowing that a person is exposed to a radioactive source unless the exposure is severe and clinical changes are detectable in the exposed individuals as in the case of Mayapuri incident. BARC scientists have done a good job of searching and recovering the source in a scrap-yard in the locality. The so-called decayed sources and scraped industrial and medical cameras containing radioactive sources find entry into the scrap yards. This is a global problem and needs to be addressed by the regulators.
India, being a terror-targeted country, stringent monitoring and surveillance programs should be in place at all the scrap entry points like ports and all scrap-yards should be equipped with radiation detection systems. The existing laws governing the handling and disposal of radioactive sources should be enforced strictly to ensure safety of members of the public. The mass media channels should be used to create awareness about the radiation, radiation detection and radiation protection aspects. It is high time, we should wake up!
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