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Belleville Mayor Michael Melham floated the theory on "Good Day New York," citing a Nuclear Regulatory Commission alert confirming radioactive material was lost in transit in Newfield in Gloucester County on Monday, Dec. 2.
In a release, the NJEP said the Ge-68 source was reported lost by the licensee during shipment of the material back to the manufacturer. The radioactive source – about 6 inches in length and with a 1.5-millimeter diameter — was located on Tuesday, Dec. 10, repackaged, and sent to the manufacturer from the FedEx shipping facility where it was misplaced, the DEP said.
"The Ge-68 pin is a very low-level radiation source that is approved for shipping through common carriers like FedEx," the DEP said. "The item is small but is shipped in a larger container for shielding. Ge-68 is a commonly used radioisotope for calibration of PET scanners and for generation of isotopes used in nuclear medicine diagnostic studies."
The DEP said they did not use drones to locate the material.
Melham said he was fed up with the lack of transparency from officials.
"Information has not been forthcoming," Melham said. "That's doing nothing but fueling conspiracy theories online."
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