What to Know
- A small amount of depleted uranium caused a scare and led to a hazardous material response at a synagogue in New Jersey
- The marble-sized substance was discovered at Temple Sha'arey Shalom in Springfield on Tuesday
- Material was inadvertently left in a meeting room by an educator who used it as a teaching aid, was safely disposed of by EPD, officials say
A small amount of depleted uranium caused a scare and led to a hazardous material response at a synagogue in New Jersey.
The marble-sized substance was discovered at Temple Sha'arey Shalom in Springfield on Tuesday. The Union County prosecutor says it was tested and was emitting a low-level pulse of radiation that was below the threshold that would be considered an imminent health hazard.
The material, which officials say was inadvertently left in a meeting room by an educator who used it as a teaching aid, was safely disposed of by the state Environmental Protection Department.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says depleted uranium is a byproduct of the process through which naturally occurring uranium is enriched in order to produce fuel.