By Chong-You Lee, China Times, Page 7 1998-02-25
Translated by Sam HSU

The lost pending years Taiwan Military Chemical College (MCC) Radiation grain was found yesterday, (?98-02-24), Taiwan1s China Times disclosed the whole story as follow: In early 1961, it has been provided Radiation (grain) by the US Army for Taiwan1s MCC radiation training course purposes. However, after the departure of the US Army from Taiwan, no detail record concerning on the remaining radiation were booked by the MCC. Until 1982, Institute of Nuclear Research (INER) has tried to renew the radiation and helped MCC finding out the lost radiation. Unexpectedly, INER was told that some of keeping in the MCC well radiation were also disappeared. The continuous radiation finding work has been conducted, however, finally failed and all in vain. The lost radiation was not found at that time. On the contrary, the other two radiation cans were found in the MCC testing field.

The lost radiation research work has been pended for years. Unfortunately, in 1992, it happened radioactively contaminated buildings and 8-Taoyuan contaminated roads cases.

This Cases were highly suspected by Government owned Atomic Energy Council (AEC) that MCC1s lost radiation were closely connected with these problems through Taoyuan area Shin Jong Iron and Steel Mfg. Co., Ltd. contaminated steel bar production which were mostly used in Housing and apartment construction, in that period of time injuring over Ten Thousand (10,000) of Taiwan1s People.

Recently, in re-assignment of College Master MCC, AEC authority has remind the newly assigned MCC master to have them detail checked on the book of radiation problem.

Unbelievably, under the strictly screen on the lost radiation testing field, MCC found under a grass patio 2-caned packed radiation. Suddenly, the information was reported to AEC for further treatment/settlement. Mr. Song-Fong Wang, Director of Radiation Protection Dept. AEC, reported: These 2-packed-caned were found under Testing Field of MCC. The surface of the cans were seriously rusted with 60cm of high, 50cm of diameter, 1,000gm of weigh. It will take 7 to 8 persons to be carried out. Fortunately, the outside of these cans were measured under the natural radiation exposure. Even if, it has been buried in outside field MCC for a long period of time; nothing harmful accident/harmful/victims were reported.

Therefore AEC sent a group of inspectors for further measurement. While the cans were opened by AEC officers, not later than opening the cover of cans, it has been detected seriously, dose coming from its cans and were measured very high dose far away from their originally expected radiation dose from cans insides itself. Director Wang further reported that the radiation exposed figures are very high many Rem(±[￥O) and, it equivalents several 100,000 times of natural exposure value.

Now all of the radiation were re-packed in a newly made zinc cans covered with lead bricks, then sent back to INER for further treatment.