Davao steel plant raided; radioactive materials found

MANILA, Philippines — Suspected radioactive materials and substandard steel products were allegedly found during a raid on a facility of a steel manufacturing company in Davao City on Thursday.

A joint team of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission searched the Davao Mighty Steel Corp. (DMSC) in Barangay Ilang in Bunawan district following complaints that the company has been producing substandard steel bars.

The raid resulted in the “rescue” of 174 men who have been working in an environment exposed to radioactive-bearing materials, dust, fumes, waste and production residues.

The NBI started an investigation after receiving reports that the company’s products are substandard.

The probe was expanded after the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) detected radioactive isotopes in commercially distributed DMSC reinforcing steel.

Technical examinations found the presence of uranium, thorium and radium in various parts of the company’s operations including finished reinforcing bars, furnace-related materials, residual black sand, industrial powders, dust, waste, wastewater and other production and stored materials.

The PNRI said the company has no license to acquire, possess, use, store, sell, transfer, import or export nuclear or radioactive materials.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said the company’s environmental compliance certificate did not authorize the handling, processing, storage or use of radioactive materials at the facility.