Re: Disposal of clinical wastes containing radio-isotopes

[William Lorenzen <LORENZEN_W@A1.TCH.Harvard.edu>]

          My understanding is that if the diaper is under the licensees 
          control then the licensee is responsible for the proper disposal 
          (which is not the sanitary sewer for a diaper)
          If you allow someone to walk out of your institution with 
          "licensed" radioactive material all the regulatory caveats apply.
          Only patient excreta disposed of via sanitary sewer is exempt and 
          not the incidental diaper.
          
          Also I disagree with the statement that the waste transfer 
          facilities ignore the short half-life material.  At least in this 
          part of the country these facilities can not and do not 
          differentiate short lived from long lived.  They only know the 
          alarm went off and they have to deal with it....
          
          Most alarming systems (from my experience in the NE) are Na(I) 
          detectors connected to a simple alarming ratemeter.
          
          I do agree it is not a safety issue, but a regulatory debacle.
          
          William A. Lorenzen, M.S.
          Radiation Safety Officer
          Children's Hospital
          Boston, Ma 02115
          
          lorenzen_w@a1.tch.harvard.edu

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