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In a press release dated December 2, 2004, Congressional Representative Ed Markey (Massachusetts Seventh District Democrat) declares as follows:
"The NRC does not monitor or attempt to educate the operators of websites such as
http://www.logwell.com/tech/ssexchange/index.html
http://www.frontlinedesignsolutions.co.uk/source/,
www.afabtechnology.com/uscob60sys.html, and
http://www.nats-usa.com/
that advertise used radioactive devices for sale or trade to ensure that radioactive sources are not provided to unauthorized recipients."
Markey's office did not contact AnaLog Services, Inc., owner of www.logwell.com, before or after issuance of the December 2, 2004, press release (said press release has been placed on our servers to ensure permanent accessibility). Had Markey bothered to do so, he would have learned that AnaLog Services, Inc. holds an NRC agreement state (Kentucky) radioactive materials license, and as a licensee has indeed been educated, and is monitored as are all licensees. Further, The Sealed Source Exchange merely places licensed users of radioactive sealed sources in touch with each other, and was created as a service to the well logging community long before the government established the Off-Site Source Recovery Project (OSRP) to deal with unwanted sources. In fact, various government lab personnel have praised The Sealed Source Exchange for promoting beneficial reuse of sealed sources, and the IAEA Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources, a document this country subscribes to, encourages the recycling of sources to other licensed users. The Sealed Source Exchange offers free listings and was created as a "labor of love".
Markey is engaging in inexcusable fear mongering to further his political career. And it does not matter to him if he assassinates our character along the way. While it is beyond the scope of this effort to explore the real or (mostly) imagined dangers of a "dirty bomb", here is what the real experts at the Health Physics Society (HPS) (to which we belong) have to say about the matter:
"Therefore, the HPS takes the position that it is extremely unlikely that a radiological terrorist dispersal event can disperse sufficient radioactive material for the resulting air and ground contamination to pose an immediate personal health hazard to people in the area or to first responders."
(See Guidance For Protective Actions Following a Radiological Terrorist Event, January 2004, and Background Information on "Guidance For Protective Actions Following a Radiological Terrorist Event", January 2004.)
Representative Ed Markey should stop trying to needlessly frighten voters, and he owes AnaLog Services, Inc. an apology!
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