[ RadSafe ] Legacy school rad materials disposal

[J. Marshall Reber]

On Jan 23, 2014, at 12:43 PM, Thomas Papura 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


Given that the material is of such low activity and given that there are still educational organizations and institutions that teach about radioactivity and given that the public phobia concerning radioactivity has practically dried up the production of actual low level radioactive material, there are many who would welcome the acquisition of such unwanted experimental teaching sources!

I believe the Boy Scouts of America still have an Atomic Energy Merit Badge program and there are still high schools who teach and use experiments about radioactivity.  In addition there are many amateur scientists who happily volunteer their services, radiation detection equipment and low level sources to school systems without the resources to support such specialized instruction who would happily pay a small pittance to cover the postage (indeed, the U.S.Postal Service can transport sufficiently weak radioactive material) and packaging in order to acquire such sources.

Please feel free to contact me directly if interested in further suggestions.

J. Marshall Reber, ScD
165 Berkeley St.
Methuen MA 01844

Tel/Fax: 978-683-6540
Alternate Email: reber at alum.mit.edu