No disposal of mortars took place last year. The decommissioning of old mortars took place in 1999. The mortars, 200 in all, were purchased from Brandt, France in the period 1936 to 1955.
On the recommendation of a military board of survey, the mortars were converted to scrap in Clancy Barracks in Dublin. The scrapped mortars were removed to the Irish Steel plant, ISPAT, in Haulbowline in October 1999 for reprocessing.
When the scrapped mortars arrived in the Irish Steel plant, the radiation detection alarm on the premises was activated. Irish Steel, as required by law, alerted the Radiological Protection Institute, RPII, and the scrap was not accepted.
A technical expert from the RPII was requested to investigate the source and extent of the radiation and to advise on procedures. He identified the source of the radiation as the radionuclides, Radium 226 and Radium 228. The radium is found in the luminous strip on the cross levelling bubble located on the bipod of the mortar. It is understood that wristwatches have also been luminised with similar radioactive material.
The task of isolating those cut mortar bipod sections which were radioactive was undertaken by ordnance personnel on 19 October 1999. All personnel involved were adequately protected using disposal overalls, face masks, gloves and personal dosimeters. The isolated segments were returned to Clancy Barracks. The isolated radioactive segments are stored in steel bins in Clancy Barracks wherein all radioactive emissions are contained. The remaining non-radioactive scrap was handed over to Irish Steel for reprocessing.
It is mandatory for the Department of Defence or the Defence Forces to maintain a register or inventory of all radioactive substances and to be licensed by the RPII. The Department and the Defence Forces meet all the requirements of the RPII in that regard.
