Radioactive mouse on the loose in US

Nov 19, 2010 |

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Melbourne: Authorities in the US state of Washington are looking for a radioactive rodent – just two weeks after a radioactive rabbit was trapped.

The Tri-City Herald reported that radioactive mouse droppings were discovered on the grounds of Hanford, a decommissioned nuclear production complex.

Hanford workers have set about 60 mousetraps, but the two mice that have been caught were not contaminated.

Workers caught a radioactive rabbit on November 4 after launching a search when radioactive droppings were discovered.

The mouse and rabbit droppings were found in the same area, leading Washington Closure Hanford - the Department of Energy contractor that is cleaning up an area of Hanford - to believe that the animals ate or drank a common source of radioactive cesium contamination.

The Washington State Department of Health said it does not believe there is any danger to the public.

Hanford website states that workers have now been deployed in a massive project to clean up the billions of gallons of liquid waste and millions of tons of solid waste created by the transformation of raw uranium into plutonium for bombs, reports News.com.au.

Washington Closure has fenced off the area around the building where demolition is taking place and has scented the perimeter with fox urine to help prevent animals from entering the area.

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