Beer Kegs and Elevator Buttons Could Kill You

The Chinese and Indian scrap metal recyclers don’t care where the metals come from. They are going to melt it down and sell it. Even if the metal comes from hospital radiation equipment and spent nuclear parts. This scrap goes to make elevator buttons or beer kegs or any other number of common goods. The United States’ Department of Homeland Security, fearing dirty bombs, are detecting these radioactive pieces trying to be shipped through US ports.

From Bloomberg here:

French authorities made headlines last month when they said as many as 500 sets of radioactive buttons had been installed in elevators around the country. It wasn’t an isolated case.  Improper disposal of industrial equipment and medical scanners containing radioactive materials is letting nuclear waste trickle into scrap smelters, contaminating consumer goods.

Abandoned medical scanners, food processing devices and mining equipment containing radioactive metals such as cesium-137 and cobalt-60 are often picked up by scrap collectors and sold to recyclers.  Sometimes recyclers find such items hidden inside beer kegs and lead pipes to prevent detection.

Last year, U.S. Customs rejected 64 shipments of radioactive goods at the nation’s ports, including purses, cutlery, sinks and hand tools. Overall, 123 shipments of contaminated goods have been denied entry to U.S. ports since screening began in 2003, according to the Homeland Security data. Of those, 67 originated in India, 23 came from China and 20 were from Canada. This year, a total of 32 cases had been reported through early July.

I can understand the whacky Chinese trying to ship us hazardous goods.  That’s what Chinese people do.  You may as well say that fish swim.  India has a huge industry in tearing down old ships and scrap metal.  No surprise that they get some nuclear parts mixed in.  But really, Canada? You are trying to get radioactive junk across our borders?  Just stick to hockey pucks and poutine, and we’ll stay friends.