[ RadSafe ] University fined over radioactive waste row

[Marcel Schouwenburg]

Received through another list (srp).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
University fined over radioactive waste row
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/city/2005/09/21/c20b2e6f-451e-4624-9c70-564ca1f8579d.lpf


CAMBRIDGE University has been fined £16,000 for breaking the law over the
disposal of radioactive waste.

The university admitted five charges relating to the disposal of 
radioactive
substances at the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre in the city.

The centre, which treats patients with acute brain injuries and claims 
to be
the best equipped in the world, is based at Addenbrooke's Hospital in
Cambridge.

Two of the charges, which have been brought by the Environment Agency,
accused the university of having exceeded the prescribed daily disposal
limit for the gases Oxygen-15 and Flourine-18 - radioactive substances used
in PET (Positron Emission Tomography) brain or body scanning.

The university also admitted charges of inadequate monitoring of equipment,
keeping inadequate records of emissions and lack of adequate supervision by
a qualified person.

The offences took place between July and October 2003, magistrates in Ely
heard.

Oxygen-15 and Flourine-18 are produced on site using a special machine. 
They
are then mixed by a radiochemist with another substance before being given
to a patient as an injection before the patient undergoes a scan.

The two substances are not considered highly dangerous, the court heard,
because both decay very quickly.

Chairman of magistrates Mrs Maggie Holling said the bench were "extremely
concerned at the fundamental breaches" in procedure at the centre and
ordered the university to pay costs of more than £20,000 in addition to the
£16,000 fine.

Prosecuting for the Environment Agency Martin Harris said: "Although the
environmental impact wasn't significant this case raises major concerns
about the loss of control of the operation by the university and its 
failure
to comply with a number of authorisations over a long period of time."

The centre discharged more than double the Flourine-18 it was allowed 
to, he
said.

But John Hand, for the university, said it was important for magistrates to
understand there was no danger either to the public or the environment from
the emissions which exceeded authorised levels because of a broken seal
which went undetected.

"This prosecution is a blot on the university's record," said Mr Hand.

Environment Agency manager Mr Kevin Rutterford said the fines were a "fair
reflection of the nature of the offences."

The centre was fined £1,500 on each of the emission charges, £4,000 each 
for
the lack of adequate records and proper supervision, and £5,000 for
inadequate monitoring, a total of £16,000.

In deciding the level of fines, magistrate Mrs Holling said the bench had
taken into account the great benefit of the clinic to the public.



----------------------

fwp_dawson at hotmail.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marcel Schouwenburg - RadSafe moderator & List owner
Head Training Centre Delft
National Centre for Radiation Protection (Dutch abbr. NCSV)

Faculty of Applied Sciences / Reactor Institute Delft
Delft University of Technology
Mekelweg 15
NL - 2629 JB  DELFT
The Netherlands
Phone +31 (0)15 27 86575
Fax     +31 (0)15 27 81717
email   m.schouwenburg at tnw.tudelft.nl