[ RadSafe ] Co-60 tissue box holders: applicable regulations fordisposal

[Steven Dapra]

Jan. 20

         What would be the nature of the complaint and what purpose 
would it (ostensibly) serve?

Steven Dapra


At 11:56 AM 1/20/2012, you wrote:
>Has anyone filed a complaint with the NM Radiation Control Bureau?
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
>[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Carl Willis
>Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 7:20 PM
>To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
>Subject: [ RadSafe ] Co-60 tissue box holders: applicable regulations
>fordisposal
>
>Dear Radsafers,
>
>As many of us are aware, Bed Bath and Beyond recently stocked some
>India-made tissue box holders that were contaminated with Co-60.  These
>were delivered to a minority of the chain's stores, including the
>Ventura Center store in Albuquerque where I live.  The manager told me
>last Friday there was not a snowball's chance in hell that they would
>even let me see one, let alone purchase one; they had just been boxed up
>for good.  I then had to leave on an out-of-town trip, but on Saturday,
>my friend Gary Bodman, who teaches middle-school physical science here,
>rolled over to BBB with a scintillation detector.  It swung up to ~3x
>local background near the employees' annex in the back of the store.
>Again, though, his advances to merely observe, let alone procure, one of
>these coveted articles were rebuffed with extreme prejudice.  We know
>the items are there!  We know they're hot!  My question to anyone
>knowledgeable is this: is BBB legally prohibited from selling these
>cobalt boxes now, or is it just corporate management or local management
>that's enforcing this policy of uptightness that we observe?  Also, how
>would the store "properly" get rid of their inventory?  My guess is the
>NM Radiation Control Bureau will have that task.  Bottom line is I'd
>love to see one of these things before they're gone and all forgotten.
>Any recommendations are welcome...
>
>-Carl
>505-412-3277