[ RadSafe ] Legacy school rad materials disposal

[Dan McCarn]

I suspect that a 10 lb bag of phosphate fertilizer would exceed the total activity of all the sets of materials as you've described. Also, given that the ingrowth of progeny is minimal, that's less reason to be concerned. 

Dan W McCarn
108 Sherwood Blvd
Los Alamos, NM 87544 USA
+1-505-670-8123
Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 27, 2014, at 9:55 AM, "Bourquin, Marty" <Marty.Bourquin at grace.com> wrote:
> 
> Just as a reminder - there are different definitions for what is regulated depending on the agency.  Exempt quantities are specified in Rad regs.  The quantity and concentration limits you refer to (DOT, IATA, IMDG etc) are used for transport of material - two different situations with different limits.
> I agree with your assessment that for transportation purposes they will, in all likelihood, not meet the definition of Radioactive materials.
> 
> However the proper disposal will depend on , as stated by the original poster, how they were originally distributed and the amount of activity present. 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Dan McCarn
> Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2014 11:47 AM
> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Legacy school rad materials disposal
> 
> 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.h
>> tm
>> 
>> 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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