The beach always contains a treasure trove of cool items, often spat out by the ocean. In between fun pebbles and beautiful shells, you can also find small artifacts and treasure. However, for one Pennsylvania family vacationing at Broadkill Beach in Delaware, their find triggered a massive emergency response. On Instagram, Elizabeth Webb (rachfamily) shared a video montage of the incident, which got over 328K views.
In the caption, Webb joked, “All that glitters, glows? Accidentally picked up some radioactive waste on the beach.” The video started with a picture of Webb holding a small metal disc covered in swirls of rust. In the overlay text, she wrote, “Oh look! Found an antique paperweight on the beach…” The next picture features the disc flipped over, and the text read, “Wait- ‘Radioactive Poison Inside Dispose by Burial US Radium Corp.’ Uh-oh…”
The rest of the video is a montage of the emergency response to her call for help. One clip highlighted the street, which was filled with emergency vehicles, and Webb asked in the overlay, “Is there anyone not here?” After a few more photos of the hazmat team, we see another picture of her holding the disc, with the words, “Bye-Bye my precious!”
The emergency response hit the news
Instagram reacted to Webb’s post with humor, shock, and helpful context. One user noted, “Yah know, at least you found it and not a kid who might have just taken it apart or chewed on it. Hat tip.”
Another commenter joked while explaining why her call got such a massive response. They claimed, “You used the magic words on your 911 call with dispatch: ‘yes, um, hi, some radioactive material just washed up on shore and I’m holding it, it’s probably not a big deal but you may want to send HazMat’. It’s a magic summoning spell that brings EVERYONE all at once.”
According to Delaware Online, the disc was actually found by Webb’s 10-year-old daughter, Everleigh Webb, while they were out beachcombing. Everleigh told the outlet, “I just thought it was part of a ship, the pipe system or something.” They noted that it was small, measuring less than 2 inches in diameter and about a half-inch thick.
Since it wasn’t particularly heavy, the family reportedly figured it was an antique paperweight after some quick googling and kept it as a souvenir of their trip. They didn’t think much of it until they were packing up to head back home to Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Webb decided to clean the object, and as the rust came off, she saw the radioactive warning. Everleigh later said, “I was like, ‘Get that thing away from me!'”
Delaware Online reported that the emergency response to Webb’s 911 call included police, fire crews, and eventually a specialized HAZMAT team. In her Instagram post, Webb even showed her viewers a picture she took with the deputy fire chief.
Delaware Online noted that when the experts arrived, they initially used a Geiger counter that showed a concerning level of radiation. However, after a follow-up test by the Environmental Protection Agency, they determined the radiation was at a trace level, and the object had not been breached.
It may not have been an immediate danger, but it certainly isn’t something you’d want to keep on your desk. According to Delaware Online, the item was eventually placed in a five-gallon bucket and taken away for proper disposal.
In the comments, Webb identified the disc as “a military ship marker for the deck, made by Radium Corp of the Radium girls movie.” Another commenter claimed that it was “U.S. Army/AAF personnel/vehicle/bridge radium night markers. Judging by the size, these are bigger, so perhaps the last two are more likely.”
According to the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity, the military used these radioluminescent markers extensively starting in the 1930s. They were designed to provide low-level light for personnel operating in darkened conditions. The Navy used deck markers, which were attached to ships with two screws, while the Army used larger bridge markers to help drivers navigate at night without using headlights.
ORAU noted that these markers relied on radium-226 to glow. Radium was a common component in luminous paints for everything from watch dials to military compasses until the 1960s.
The same commenter who identified the marker explained that they were “Perpetually glowing dots for use by paratroopers to see each other and navigate roads and paths when they landed in enemy territory. One of the most radioactive items ever designed to be carried on the person and handled by U.S. troops.” They went on to explain that troops in the 1940’s were “warned not to carry too many on their person for fear of radiation burns.”
Published: Oct 6, 2026 03:24 am