[ RadSafe ] Legacy school rad materials disposal

[Dan McCarn]

Dear Thomas:

The definition of "radioactive materials" is a 2-part test (DOT, IAEA,
IATA):

1) The concentration must exceed a limit
AND
2) The total activity must exceed a limit.

I seriously doubt that these meet either requirement, much less both.
Therefore, they are not "radioactive materials".

My understanding is that they could simply be disposed of directly in the
garbage.

Dan ii

Dan W McCarn, Geologist
108 Sherwood Blvd
Los Alamos, NM 87544-3425
+1-505-672-2014 (Home – New Mexico)
+1-505-670-8123 (Mobile - New Mexico)
HotGreenChile at gmail.com (Private email) HotGreenChile at gmail dot com


On Thu, Jan 23, 2014 at 10:43 AM, Thomas Papura <trpapura at gw.dec.state.ny.us
> wrote:

> I am trying to help out a couple local schools. They have some legacy
> radioactive sources, and among them are the kits as seen on Paul Frame's
> website:
>
> http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/Miscellaneous/plasticboxeseduquip.htm
>
> The least expensive quote we obtained from brokers was $225 per box. One
> school has 40 plus and the other 20 plus. This is a considerable expense.
>
> My question is this? Most brokers want to charge ludicrous amounts of
> money to dispose of them due to the Nitrate content and subsequent
> concerns. Considering the trivial amounts of Uranium and Thorium present, I
> would imagine they are exempt from regulation but was wondering if anyone
> knows for sure how they were distributed? Were they sold as exempt?
> Generally licensed? If so, perhaps they could be solidified in concrete and
> disposed of without regard to their rad content?
>
> Any assistance would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Thomas Papura
> Environmental Radiation Specialist II
> Radiological Sites Section
> Contaminated Sites Group Leader
> NYSDEC
> 625 Broadway
> 12th Floor
> Albany, NY 12233
> (518) 402-8783
> FAX (518) 402-9024
>
> Save a tree for DEC. Save electronic copies of your files and only print
> when absolutely needed.
>
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