Spain’s Nuclear Safety Council (CSN) has appealed for people to be on the lookout for a soil-testing kit containing radioactive material that was stolen from a van in the Madrid region.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the CSN said it had been notified of the theft of the bright yellow Troxler density and moisture gauge, which was taken after the van’s rear door was forced open in the town of Humanes, 25km south of the capital.
The council said the equipment contained Caesium-137 and Americium-241/Beryllium, adding the two radioactive sources are classified as category four on the one-to-five scale established by the International Atomic Energy Agency, on which five is the least dangerous category.
“Category four is classed as ‘unlikely to be dangerous to people’ because, given its low radioactivity, it does not pose radiological risks as long as it is kept closed and intact,” the statement said.
“The radioactive sources are located in the [kit’s] interior, where they are protected and encapsulated. They could, however, pose a risk if the kit is opened or damaged, resulting in the loss of the sources’ protection.”
The CSN released pictures and a description of the Troxler gauge.
The box-shaped yellow kit has a metal handle, a glass screen with a keyboard and a metallic tube where the radioactive materials are housed. The equipment is kept in a yellow transport case that carries a radiation symbol and warning.
“Anyone who finds the equipment must avoid handling it and should immediately inform the authorities, the police, or the emergency services,” the statement said.
