Clarification, Welding Rods Containing Thorium

[Franz Schönhofer <franz.schoenhofer@CHELLO.AT>]

Leo and RADSAFErs,



I think a clarification is necessary: 



In my reply I did not want to be rude or whatever, I just wanted to

express my surprise, that somebody who wants to know about legislation

contacts RADSAFE instead of the competent authorities. The same reply in

German to a German speaking person would not cause any problem. It is

still my belief, if I intended to import, export, dispose of or

whatsoever either in the USA or Canada I would contact the competent

authorities and would never rely on hearsay of whom-so-ever. 



When I set up my first radiochemistry laboratory I contacted all

Austrian authorities for radiation protection, protection of employees,

water authorities etc. etc. They very willingly gave me the necessary

information and the laboratory was laid out and equipped according to

their recommendations and - surprise - we had not the slightest problem

in licensing. Should it be impossible in the USA and Canada to talk with

the authorities? Do the officers reside so high up in the sky, that it

is not possible to reach them? We have in Austria an incredible

bureaucracy, but any company, any institute and of course private

persons will contact the authorities for questions directly. 



I have been working recently for about five years at the Ministry of

Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Radiation

Protection Department. I returned any calls with questions, even from

foreign countries and I gave everybody a clear answer and if I was not

responsible for it I forwarded them to the competent authority. (I still

remember a Swedish company wanting to import a source to Austria and how

almost shocked the person calling was, when I answered him in fluent

Swedish!) I had several inquiries from RADSAFErs about legislation in

Austria and most of all about Europe and I think that I was able to help

them and at least point them to the competent authorities.  



What is bad about my recommendation? Obviously a lot, because a

previously well known anti-nuclear activist, who bothered RADSAFE with a

lot of nonsense and surfaced again recently on RADSAFE obviously tried

to insult me with already two mails, with such ridiculous comments that

I have already ensured him, that I had a good laugh. Anybody interested

in his funny mails can have them upon request. 





Franz Schoenhofer

PhD, MR iR

Habicherg. 31/7

A-1160 Vienna

AUSTRIA

phone -43-0699-1168-1319





> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

> Von: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu [mailto:owner-

> radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu] Im Auftrag von Leo M. Lowe

> Gesendet: Freitag, 03. Dezember 2004 20:10

> An: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

> Betreff: Welding Rods Containing Thorium

> 

> Hello,

> 

> Do welding rods that contain thorium have any special handling or

waste

> disposal regulatory requirements because of their radioactivity,

either in

> the US or Canada?  Are there any waste disposal exemptions for these

rods?

> 

> Please feel free to respond to me directly.

> 

> Regards,

> 

> Leo M. Lowe, Ph.D., P.Phys.

> 





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