[ RadSafe ] Plastics and radiation exposure

[Ferguson, Dennis]

I remember of two instances at TMI-2 that may apply. I tend to concur with Cary.

The first was a lexan shield cover over a drain in a high beta area: the clear plastic took on a smoky hue. Looked like what you get if you blow cigarette smoke through a handkerchief. Exposure time was around a year, I believe.

The other was the covering of a lead blanket over a bypass line root where some of the accident debris was captured. It "burnt" in a T-pattern (visible as a white area on the normally yellow blanket) which was brittle when tapped with the end of a yardstick. Needless to say, the blanket got replaced soon thereafter! It was there from shortly post accident until sometime around 1983-4, I believe.

Dennis E. Ferguson | Radiation Protection Program Supervisor
Dept of Environmental Protection
Southcentral Regional Office
909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA  17110-8200
Phone: 717-705-4891   |   Fax: 717-705-4890  |  denferguso at state.pa.us
www.depweb.state.pa.us




-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Cary Renquist
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 11:39 AM
To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) MailingList
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Plastics and radiation exposure