Investigators at the Idaho National Laboratory in eastern Idaho say they should have initial results by midweek on how radioactive particles got outside.
Cobalt, Cesium, and Europium are the radioactive materials investigators have found on the INL grounds. Workers with radiation detectors continue to comb the facility, the employees, and any vehicles leaving the site.
“No contaminated particles have been found on people, nor in buildings, office areas, or on the site busses.” Says Tim Jackson, a spokesman for the Department of Energy which is conducting the investigation.
Jackson says the contaminated particles have been found on the ground outside the advanced test reactor complex and on some construction debris, specifically insulation. He says they don’t know yet what construction project it came from. He adds there is no threat to the public or the environment.
“The primary concern from these types of isotopes would be if it came into prolonged skin contact. And at this time contamination has not been detected on any of our workers at the site.”
Jackson wouldn’t discuss the investigation in detail but he says they should have more information in a few days.