Radiactive Waste Facility Taken Over

Print View Posted on: 03 March 2025

Event Date: 02 March 2025 Event Type: Radiation Source
Event Location: Mexico, Temascalapa, Mexico State, Mexico INES Rating: 2 (Provisional)

On March the 2nd,2025 at approximately 6:30 AM (UTC-6), personnel from the municipality of Temascalapa forcibly took over the
Low and Medium Level Radioactive Waste Storage Center (CADER), evicting the personnel from the National Institute of Nuclear
Research (ININ), who were working at the facility and subsequently placing seals of closure at the entrances.
The video surveillance and environmental radiation monitoring systems that CADER has were disabled and there is no way to
know the current status inside the Center.
Negotiations are being carried out between personnel from the government of the State of Mexico and the Municipality of
Temascalapa, without reaching agreements so far.
In addition to the radioactive material and depleted uranium that are being kept in the facility, work tools from a foreign company
were also retained inside it.
Currently, Federal Authorities are working to regain control of the facility.
The source term of the facility is estimated at approximately 1,041.55 TBq of Co-60 and its surface area is 16.2 HA

INES Rating: 2 - Incident (Provisional) as per 03 March 2025
Release beyond authorized limits? No
Overexposure of a member of the public? No
Overexposure of a worker? No
Contamination spread within the facility? No
Damage to radiological barriers (incl. fuel damage) within the facility? No
Degradation of Defence In-Depth Yes
Person injured physically or casualty? No
Is there a continuing problem? No

Victor Gonzalez
Comision Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias
vmgonzalez@cnsns.gob.mx
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