Radiation container to be sent back

The Power and Energy Ministry said that Sri Lankan Customs will return the container contaminated with nuclear radiation which was seized by the Sri Lankan Customs on September 13 after investigations were conducted by the Atomic Energy Authority (AEA).

The container arrived in Sri Lanka from India and radiation contamination was detected in a 40 ft container unloaded from a ship from India.

The container had been loaded with 128 sets of aluminium and white iron utensils. Steps have been taken to stop the release of goods to the market and the AEA had informed the Customs to return this container to India.

A team from the Radiation Protection Unit of the Atomic Energy Authority has been appointed to inspect the container returned by the Customs. The container will be returned within the next few days after the legal procedure is completed.

The team which inspected the container had detected a chemical known as Cobolt which is used in cancer treatment. The container is placed at a special location under the supervision of the Energy Power Authority.

The AEA's Radiation Protection Unit Senior Deputy Director Anil Ranjith said that laws have been strengthened to prevent radiation contaminated items from being bought to the country. The Customs will return this container to India soon.