In what appears to be an embarrassing breach of its own rules, the Canadian agency that oversees nuclear safety lost a sample of cesium-137 in its downtown Ottawa office building for three weeks.
Cs-137 can be used to calibrate dosimeters and for instrumentation and medical applications. The small sample in question, described by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission as low-activity and low-risk, had been used during an exercise training students how to find hidden nuclear material. The Ottawa Citizen reported Thursday that the cesium was left in the training room June 26 and found by other agency staff members July 17.
The Citizen reported the CNSC is reviewing its policies, and an investigation is underway.