[ RadSafe ] radioactivity in garbage

[Franz Schönhofer]

Dear Demetrios,

I cannot give you an answer about the maximum exposure rate for hospital
garbage, simply because there is none. 

Since Greece is a member state of the European Union it has to follow EU
regulations, which implies that the member states have to implement their
legislation accordingly. There simply must be legislation specific for
Greece - even if it were identical to the EU Directive. It does not make
much sense to inquire on RADSAFE, which is dominated by US citizens. Many of
RADSAFE participants are very helpful indeed, which I can confirm, but the
US legislation is in many cases very different from others, including the
European one. So I would recommend that you contact the Greek authorities or
at least someone familiar with Greek Radiation Protection Legislation. I
personally know a few of them.....

The EU legislation for discharge of radioactive material is in no way based
on the dose rate at the surface of a package, but only on the radionuclide
content in it. This makes sense. Pu-239 will not cause any significant
external dose, but its radiotoxicity would be of concern. The same is true
for other radionuclides, especially alpha-emitters, but also beta-emitters.
The dose rate at the surface is of of course of concern in the regulations
of transport. This should not be confused with conditions of garbage
deposit. 

I hope that even this negative information might help you to get rid of your
garbage in a legally accepted way. 

Best regards,

Franz

Franz Schoenhofer, PhD
MinRat i.R.
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Wien/Vienna
AUSTRIA


-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] Im Auftrag von Demetrios
Okkalides
Gesendet: Samstag, 26. Februar 2011 15:52
An: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) MailingList
Betreff: [ RadSafe ] radioactivity in garbage

I am looking for a quote of the maximum exposure rate (not activity) that 
hospital (or any) garbage can have on  its packaging surface in order to be 
permitted to be dumped in communal garbage sites. Can anyone help? I would 
appreciate a reference also.

thanks

D.Okkalides
THEAGENEION Anticancer Hospital
Thessaloniki
Greece