[ RadSafe ] Removing 14C contaminated biowaste from a BSL-3 Facility

[Cueva, Louie]

This article regarding an autoclave bag system with charcoal filter
might be of some interest. It was referred to me by a colleague but
seems to address the issue of radioactive contamination and BSL-3 solid
waste. Ethylene oxide sterilization might be another option as a
sterilant. 

The full article is available in the HPS Journal archives:
https://hps.org/membersonly/publications/hpj/0004032-199107000-00015.pdf


RadSafe archives also address this issue back in 2000. A quick Google
seems to indicate COSTAR is now Corning Costar Corp.

http://radlab.nl/radsafe/archives/0004/msg00860.html


Louie Cueva 
Radiation Health Protection 
Environment, Health & Safety 
206.544.4315 desk | 206.653.5754 mobile
louie.cueva at boeing.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Anthony Santoro [mailto:santora at mail.rockefeller.edu] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 9:03 AM
To: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Removing 14C contaminated biowaste from a BSL-3
Facility

Dear Radsafe members,

 

I am looking for information on how others process BSL-3 solid waste
(gloves, paper towels, pipettes, etc.) that is contaminated with
Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a long lived isotope such as 14C or 3H.
Normally, TB waste is autoclaved prior to removal from the BSL-3
facility but I am concerned that autoclaving mixed waste will result in
radioactive
contamination of the autoclave.     

With short lived isotopes, we simply allow the radioactive material to
decay in the BSL-3 and then proceed with autoclaving.  With long lived
isotope/TB waste I am at a loss as to how to process the waste for safe
removal from
the BSL-3 and ultimate disposal as LLRW.   Any thoughts or insights
would be
greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you,

Anthony Santoro

Radiation Safety Officer

Chemical Waste Manager

Laboratory Safety & Environmental Health

The Rockefeller University 

1230 York Avenue

New York, NY 10065

1-212-327-8226

 

 

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