Residents of a suburban Sydney street have been allowed to return home after emergency services raided an apartment block and found radioactive material.
Key points:
- The radioactive material was found in containers
- Three people were taken to hospital for observation
- Testing later confirmed there was no evidence of exposure
At around 8.00am Australian Border Force (ABF) officials and Fire and Rescue HAZMAT operators began an operation at an apartment building on Kelsey Street, Arncliffe in Sydney's south.
The specialist Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews found low level radioactive isotopes, commonly used in several industries, inside an apartment.
FRNSW says the material was found in suitable and effective containers with no release of radiation and specialists were able to further seal the material without incident.
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) sent radiation and scientific support teams to assist and a 10-metre exclusion zone was established around the property.
Three occupants of the apartment block were taken to hospital for observation but radiation tests returned regular readings.
Some residents of the apartment block and neighbouring properties on Kelsey Street were evacuated as a precaution but have since returned.
Environment Protection Authority testing later confirmed there was no evidence of exposure and the FRNSW then declared the scene safe.
A spokesperson for the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) told the ABC they were supporting state and federal agencies to resolve the situation.
The agency said there were more than 3,000 known nuclear isotopes, more commonly known as radioisotopes, which all emit different levels of radiation.
They can be used in medicine, industry, agriculture, radiopharmaceutical sciences, industrial applications, environmental tracing and biological studies.
"The hazard presented is highly dependent on the type of radioisotope and how it is handled," a spokesperson said.
Short exposure periods to a source of low radioactivity are unlikely to result in a significant health risk, whilst higher radioactive sources can only be handled while using personal protective equipment and managing exposure time, according to the ARPANSA.
The spokesperson said Australians were exposed to radiation from a variety of natural and artificial sources every day.
"Natural radioactivity is present in the air we breathe, food we eat, water we drink and even in our bodies. We are also exposed to natural ionising radiation that comes from outer space and passes through the atmosphere of the planet," the spokesperson said.
The ABF told the ABC all appropriate safety measures were being implemented.
The ABC understands the man who lives in the apartment works at Sydney's Airport.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiY2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIzLTA4LTE3L3N5ZG5leS1hcGFydG1lbnQtcmFpZGVkLWJ5LWF1c3RyYWxpYW4tYm9yZGVyLWZvcmNlLzEwMjc0MjQyNNIBKGh0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMDI3NDI0MjQ?oc=5
2023-08-17 08:38:19Z
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