Re: TUs--was: Oh Little Bethlehem, Kidneys, Love and Peace

[NiagaraNet@AOL.COM]

  Dear Dr. Weiner:   Re: Transuranics in the Niagara area



  Please notice your use of the term "medical" and the context in which you 

initially use it in your response below. I placed "quotation marks" around 

"medical isotopes" only to recognize your mention of them as in the same category 

of materials.



  Further, if you please notice, I did not use the word reactor in the manner 

that you are attributing it to me. My use of the word "reactor" is in the 

previous sentence and not as you have stated. 



  [I know that medical isotopes are delivered by the Iso-stork..just 

kidding.:]

  

   I did say "numerous sources" and not as you state here.

So...?  Can you offer any comment on these materials being in the 

environment? 



   What about my TUs on the street, on the farm and in the air, water? Is 

there anything you can assist in the way of information about this situation that 

I have concerns with?  



   Can you help me understand why these materials are at Niagara and of a 

health concern?



    Thank you, Louis Ricciuti

****

   In a message dated 4/2/2004 7:45:18 PM Eastern Standard Time, 

    RuthWeiner   writes:

> Subj:Re: TUs--was: Oh Little Bethlehem, Kidneys, Love and Peace 

> Date:4/2/2004 7:45:18 PM Eastern Standard Time

> From:RuthWeiner

> To:NiagaraNet, radsafe-digest@list.vanderbilt.edu

> 

> In a message dated 4/2/04 11:52:39 AM Mountain Standard Time, 

> NiagaraNet@AOL.COM writes:

> 

> >> Certain quantities of very early "medical radioisotopes" that have come 

>> from numerous sources including, but are not limited to; DuPont, Union 

>> Carbide, The University of Rochester, Argonne, Chicago, Knolls Atomic Power 

>> Laboratories, Los Alamos, Brookhaven and other centers conducting fission 

>> research.

> 

> Medical isotopes are produced in reactors.  So?

> 

> Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.

> ruthweiner@aol.com



  Even the tiny amounts of K-40 in the bananas you eat or the salt 

substitutes you might use?  the small amounts of radioiodinhe, radiotechnetium, and 

other medically used radionuclides that we excrete and that then find their way 

into soil?  how about the AM-241 in your smoke detector (yes that is a byproduct 

of fission also)) and the thorium in your Coleman lantern mantle?



Whatever that statement is, it is certainly not "scientific."  



Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.

ruthweiner@aol.com

__

Subj:   TUs--was: Oh Little Bethlehem, Kidneys, Love and Peace  

Date:   4/2/2004 1:43:23 PM Eastern Standard Time   

From:   NiagaraNet  

To: RuthWeiner  

CC: NiagaraNet  



Dear Dr. Weiner: With all due respect:



May we FOCUS PLEASE--I refer not to bananas. 



I refer to Willy-nilly area-wide storage, handling and disposal(s) of 

materials dating from as recently as the 1970s, to as far back as the 1940s.  Fission 

Products that came from startup lab reactors and other experiments of the 

period, buried with 1940-1950s Direct-to-Soil Contact. Certain quantities of very 

early "medical radioisotopes" that have come from numerous sources including, 

but are not limited to; DuPont, Union Carbide, The University of Rochester, 

Argonne, Chicago, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories, Los Alamos, Brookhaven and 

other centers conducting fission research. The soil has been and is being 

disturbed.



In a message dated 4/2/2004 12:56:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, RuthWeiner 

quotes RICCIUTI, Louis:

> Even "Small Amounts" of Fission Products should not be allowed into the 

> environment willy-nilly. Even tiny amounts--buried direct to soil. On this much 

> science I am sure.



Ruth Weiner writes:

Even the tiny amounts of K-40 in the bananas you eat or the salt substitutes 

you might use?  the small amounts of radioiodinhe, radiotechnetium, and other 

medically used radionuclides that we excrete and that then find their way into 

soil?  how about the AM-241 in your smoke detector (yes that is a byproduct 

of fission also)) and the thorium in your Coleman lantern mantle?



Whatever that statement is, it is certainly not "scientific."  



Ruth Weiner, Ph. D.

ruthweiner@aol.com

********************



   Dr. Weiner:

   I am confused by the above "scientific" remark. 



   I would like to continue and I assume for clarity that you mean my 

statement as to - "Willy-nilly." Is this correct? I don't know if this is a 

vernacular common to your region or not, so I will humbly explain. 



   In my posting...I use the term "Willy-nilly" to mean a haphazard or 

cavalier attitude such as direct to soil burials. The reference to "fission 

products" speaks specifically to reported area TUs such as, Pu, Cs and perhaps a few 

others. (There are also indications of Beryllium burials and U recycling with 

additional TUs associated.)  



   To clarify: My statement does not refer to Am in smoke detectors, K in 

bananas, R, or any check sources, nor any Th lantern products. 



   To qualify "small amounts," the word "even" was used. "Even small 

amounts." There may actually be quantities amounting to more than small amounts. In 

order to not be perceived as being reactionary, hyperbolic, or otherwise 

"scary," I chose to use an understated term qualifier. 



   I hope this is specific enough for your further consideration and judgment 

and I thank you for your indulgence.



Regards,

Louis Ricciuti

Niagara Falls Niagara County Lockport Tonawanda Lewiston Porter Youngstown 

Buffalo Lackawanna -- All Documented Impacted Areas





MAY WE PLEASE FOCUS ON THE TUs BROUGHT TO THE NIAGARA AREA?