NRC blue topaz testing shows no health threat

Majors

Save

E-mail

NRC blue topaz testing shows no health threat

By Susan Thea Posnock

August 09, 2007

Similar Stories | Topics

STORIES

NRC hands-off on blue topaz stock

New York—The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) says nine batches of irradiated blue topaz it surveyed last week do not pose any health threat.

"From the test we did last week in New York City, there was nothing alarming from a public health and safety issue," NRC Public Affairs Officer David McIntyre told National Jeweler.

He said NRC staff met with representatives of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) and three vendors to conduct the testing. Eight of the nine batches of gems, which he said averaged around 500 carats each, showed only background levels of radiation, while one registered at "twice background."

Background levels refer to radiation that is picked up merely because a survey meter is turned on because there are already low levels of radiation present in the atmosphere. By measuring "twice background," it implies that there are low levels, but nothing that would be considered alarming, he said.

The testing is one part of the process to get the industry up-to-speed on regulations that require licenses for the importation and distribution of nuclear-irradiated gemstones.

"Currently, there are no licensed distributors of neutron-irradiated gemstones," McIntyre said. "The NRC and the industry are working together to reach some measure of assurance that current (unlicensed) inventories are safe."

In addition, new NRC regulations that extend to accelerator-produced radioactive material will take effect later this year. That means all electron-bombarded gems will fall under NRC jurisdiction as well.

McIntyre said the NRC has already received two applications for licenses and industry representatives at the July 26 public hearing indicating more may be forthcoming. Approval of licensees further down the road would assure stones were being distributed and sold within NRC guidelines in the future.

Retailers, however, have wondered how to address current blue topaz inventories. While the NRC has not requested that the industry stop selling blue topaz, some major companies, including Stuller Inc. and Sterling, have suspended sales.

The NRC is working with the industry to address these current inventories.

"The reason we did the surveys is to establish some assurance that current inventories are safe, and we could then allow their continued sale through some regulatory mechanism that would avoid further disruption for the industry," McIntyre said.

That determination will be made following evaluation of further survey data from the industry as well as the data from the NRC surveys.

McIntyre said the industry has been upfront about resolving the issue.

"It was very clear in our public meeting a couple of weeks ago that the industry is very eager to do things by the book and legally," he said.

Editor's note: For earlier developments in this story, see Stuller suspends sales of blue topaz.

Save

E-mail

More Like This

NRC hands-off on blue topaz stock

December 07, 2007 | National Jeweler Network

More Watches

Design Portfolio

BROWSE

Daily News

Get breaking news from the industry's premier information source.

Video

Retailer Toolbar

America's Best Jewelers
Join the ONLY Social Network for Jewelry Retailers. Get access to expert content, peer best practices, and more.
Start networking today.

Newsletters
Topic-specific newsletters that deliver the latest news on jewelry, diamonds, wholesale operations and high-volume buying directly to your in-box.

ReaderConnect
Supplier information presented with every article, bringing you related, actionable content on every topic.

Yellow Pages
A comprehensive listing of associations, organizations, suppliers and services for the jewelry industry.

Classifieds
A comprehensive listing of job postings, product offerings and other materials for sale for the jewelry industry.

CustomerConnect
The most sophisticated suite of marketing services available for jewelry retailers, from Internet tools to data marketing.