KSDK is cool in my eyes for putting out this story in depth.. not just “glossing over” like the rest of the MSM did to this story.
Also, worthy to note.. KSDK met me down at the St. Louis, MO Gateway Arch… while I was doing radiation measurements (Fukushima fallout) back in the summer .. cheers to channel 5 !
These radioactive items obviously went to MULTIPLE STATES, and the fact that just 30 min. (for an hour or a year?!) near the item is = to a COUPLE chest x-rays…. it’s just plain disturbing to hear that.
I know we keep OUR metal decorative tissue holder on the bathroom sink .. right where my wife stands and does her makeup every morning.. she spends AT LEAST 30 minutes getting ready each day.. that would mean.. if she had one of these “tissue holders” — every year (hour in the original NRC story) she would get = TWO chest x-rays !
NOT GOOD NEWS — lets hope its just relegated to the tissue boxes, and not OTHER metal items the company makes.
Here is my previous post with the other items the company makes:
This story is making the rounds today, but strangely, they don’t mention WHO makes these items — or HOW cobalt 60 made its way into the metal supply which these come from.
We are told NOT to worry.. but in the same story they make mention of the fact that JUST ONE HOUR close by one of these items is = to a CHEST X-ray !
Of course, we all know metal is made in LARGE batches.. and that companies order bulk loads of sheet metal to press into these types of objects…. into the “tissue containers”, cups, UTENCILS, etc.. that we use on a daily basis.
Which means … simply put… the tissue boxes are most likely NOT the only items that are radioactive.
Aren’t you curious who makes these items?
Are there any other contaminated shipments?
What other types of OTHER items does this company make .. items we might we need to look out for?
Radioactive Metal Tissue Box Holders Pulled from NY Stores
The level of radiation exposure from holding the tissue box against the body for one hour would be equivalent to a chest X-ray, said state health officials.
Thursday, Jan 12, 2012
NY State Health Department
Health officials said they’ve removed a dozen metal box tissue holders containing small amounts of radioactive material from four Bed, Bath and Beyond stores in New York.
None of the boxes were sold to the public, said the company.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission notified state health officials Tuesday that a shipment of metal box tissue holders to four Bed, Bath and Beyond stores were found to contain low levels of Cobalt-60.
Cobalt-60, a man-made product using cobalt, has been used to sterilize medical equipment and in radiation therapy for cancer patients.
The level of radiation exposure from holding the tissue box against the body for one hour would be equivalent to a chest X-ray, said state health officials.
The NRC said scrap metal containing Cobalt-60 could have inadvertently been incorporated into the product during smelting. The products arrived in a shipment from India on Dec. 27, and 220 were distributed to Bed Bath and Beyond stores nationwide.
Locally, 12 were distributed to a store in Nassau County, a store in Suffolk County, and two stores in Westchester County.
Company representatives emphasized none were sold to the public and that no other stores in New York received shipments of the items.
“The presence or handling of these boxes poses no imminent public health threat,” said Nassau County Health Commissioner Lawrence Einstein, M.D.
Bed, Bath and Beyond has posted information on the product, Double Ridge Boutique model, model number (DR9M), on www.bedbathandbeyond.com. Customers can also call the company at 1-800-462-3966.
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After a little sleuth work , I found the REAL report of the event on the NRC (nuclear regulatory commission) website — this report gives us the NAME of the company that actually makes the “metal tissue holder”.
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY 10 CFR Section: AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization): MICHAEL VASQUEZ (R4DO) DANIEL HOLODY (R1DO) ANGELA MCINTOSH (FSME) SCOTT MOORE (OIP)
Event Text
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT INVOLVING DETECTION OF CONTAMINATED MATERIAL
The following information was received from the State of California via email:
“Two [2] packages set off radiation alarms at Truckee, CA truck scales. Both packages indicated Cobalt 60. One package read 5.7 mr/hr and the other indicated 6.1 mr/hr using a Victoreen 450 CHP. The packages were enroute to Bed Bath and Beyond in Santa Clara and San Jose.
“The shipment was authorized to proceed in a separate trailer to the Sacramento [the shippers] yard at 8200 Elder Creek Road where the shipment will be secured awaiting RHB inspector to determine the contents and disposition of the material. Surveys were requested of the CHP to document ALARA during this shipment.
“Shipment contained four Model DR9M Dual Ridge Metal Boutique (Kleenex box holders). Contact reading 6.5 mr/hr, One foot 0.85 mr/hr with a Victoreen 450P ion chamber.”
The shipment originated in India with a port of entry at Newark, NJ and was shipped via common carrier to its final destination in California.
CA 5010 #: 010512
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Another quick search, once I could see the “owner” of this .. listed under “PRGM Licensee: TATARA GROUP/NU STEEL” ….
This comes up:
Summed up , it seems that SEVERAL items are made by the company that involve bathroom materials or kitchen ware. Most all revolve around PERSONAL GROOMING products.
Not good to know you could blow your nose and expose your mucus membrane to highly radiated tissue.. you could wipe your ear out with a radiated Q-tip… wash your hands with radiated soap.. Thank god they don’t make toilet paper holders, or food utencils…. oh wait.. they DO make toilet paper holders.. uh-oh!
Strange days indeed.. I guess I should say it.. time to test EVERYTHING with my geiger counter before buying it.
