[ RadSafe ] More radioactive debris turning up in garbage

[John Jacobus]

I am pleased that you agree with my general
sentiments.  This is a problem that has a solution.

--- Jim Hardeman <Jim_Hardeman at dnr.state.ga.us> wrote:

> John *
>  
> What you have described is precisely what we are
> doing in Georgia. Once we have determined that we're
> dealing with a medical radionuclide (principally
> Tc-99m, I-131 or Th-201) we direct the landfill
> operators to dispose of the waste and cover it
> within a short period (1-2 hours). We get a little
> concerned, however, when we see Tc-99m, because due
> to the short half-life, we've found that the Tc-99m
> we see is coming directly from the medical facility
> (traps in IV tubes, etc.) instead of waste that has
> been "processed" through a patient ... thus it is
> technicallly NOT exempt. We've advised our medical
> facilities that if we continue to see this material
> at landfills, and if we can identify the source (not
> too difficult when you're dealing with a rolloff
> container in which all of the waste came from a
> single medical center!!!) then we will vigorously
> pursue enforcement action.
>  
> I concur with earlier commenters ... even if the
> disposal of short-lived medical radionuclides isn't
> a problem (and it isn't) the resource requirments to
> make that determination ARE a problem ...
> particularly with the advent of large, regional
> landfills in rural locations ... not very convenient
> to where WE'RE located.
>  
> My take on this ... with the medical radionuclides,
> we're dealing with materials that are "gone" (i.e.
> 10+ half lives) in say 3 months. If the landfill is
> operating in such a manner that somebody is drinking
> groundwater contaminated with leachate w/in 3
> months, then you've got FAR bigger problems that
> just having a few millicuries of a short-lived
> radionuclide in the landfill.
>  
> My $0.02 worth ... 
>  
> Jim Hardeman, Manager
> Environmental Radiation Program
> Environmental Protection Division
> Georgia Department of Natural Resources
> 4220 International Parkway, Suite 100
> Atlanta, GA 30354
> (404) 362-2675
> Fax: (404) 362-2653
> E-mail: Jim_Hardeman at dnr.state.ga.us
> 
> >>> John Jacobus <crispy_bird at yahoo.com> 4/28/2005
> 11:58:20 >>>
> 
> That is the problem.  We have regulations that
> require
> every actions to be taken when there are no real
> risks.  Who do you know that eats trash.  Is the
> transfer to ground water more hazardous than the
> other
> stuff that is buried with it?  Why not let it decay
> in
> the landfill as opposed to having it sit in the
> truck.
> 
> 
> --- Marty.Bourquin at grace.com wrote:
> > The issue really isnt whether or not the waste is
> > exempted.  If it sets 
> > off the montiors at the landfill it will not be
> > accepted by the landfill 
> > operator. Once that alarm goes off most facilities
> > want nothing to do 
> > with it.  They will typically just call in someone
> > (regulator) to take 
> > care of the problem - often by making the truck
> sit
> > till it decays.
> > 
> > Education, Education Education
> > 
> > Marty Bourquin
> > Manager EHS, RSO
> > W.R. Grace
> > Chattanooga, TN
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: crispy_bird at yahoo.com
> > [mailto:crispy_bird at yahoo.com]
> > Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2005 8:57 AM
> > To: joseroze at netvision.net.il; radsafe at radlab.nl
> > Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] More radioactive debris
> > turning up in garbage
> > 
> > 
> > Maybe the laws need to be changed so that patient
> > waste is exempted.  See
> >
>
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/cfr/part020/part020-2003.html
> > 
> > 10 CFR 20.2003(b)Excreta from individuals
> undergoing
> > medical diagnosis or therapy with radioactive
> > material
> > are not subject to the limitations contained in
> > paragraph (a) of this section.
> > 
> > --- Jose Julio Rozental
> <joseroze at netvision.net.il>
> > wrote:
> > > 
> > >
> >
>
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050426/NEWS02/504260336/1018/NEWS02
> > > More radioactive debris turning up in garbage
> > > By ROB RYSER
> > > THE JOURNAL NEWS
> > >      
> > > Original publication: April 26, 2005
> > > Low levels of a radioactive substance used to
> > treat
> > > thyroid cancer, known as iodine-131, are
> tripping
> > > alarms at garbage collection plants in
> Westchester
> > > County about twice as often as they did last
> year,
> > > officials said yesterday. 
> > > 
> > > There have been 11 cases in 2005, compared to 10
> > > cases in all of 2004, according to County
> > Executive
> > > Andrew Spano, who is calling on physicians to
> > leave
> > > better instructions with patients about throwing
> > out
> > > personal-care products once they go home.
> > > 
> > >
> >
>
......................................................
> > >   
> > > 
> > > Jose Julio Rozental
> > > joseroze at netvision.net.il
> > > Israel
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > You are currently subscribed to the radsafe
> > mailing
> > > list
> > > radsafe at radlab.nl
> > > 
> > > For information on how to subscribe/unsubscribe
> > and
> > > other settings visit: 
> > >
> http://radlab.nl/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/radsafe
> > > 
> > 
> > +++++++++++++++++++
> > "Embarrassed, obscure and feeble sentences are
> > generally, if not always, 
> > the result of embarrassed, obscure and feeble
> > thought."
> > Hugh Blair, 1783
> > 
> > -- John
> > John Jacobus, MS
> > Certified Health Physicist
> > e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com
> > 
> > __________________________________________________
> > Do You Yahoo!?
> > Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam
> > protection around 
> > http://mail.yahoo.com 
> > _______________________________________________
> > You are currently subscribed to the radsafe
> mailing
> > list
> > radsafe at radlab.nl
> > 
> > For information on how to subscribe/unsubscribe
> and
> > other settings 
> > visit: 
> > http://radlab.nl/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/radsafe
> > 
> > 
> 
> +++++++++++++++++++
> "Embarrassed, obscure and feeble sentences are
> generally, if not always, the result of embarrassed,
> obscure and feeble thought."
> Hugh Blair, 1783
> 
> -- John
> John Jacobus, MS
> Certified Health Physicist
> e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com
> 
> __________________________________________________
> 
=== message truncated ===


+++++++++++++++++++
"Embarrassed, obscure and feeble sentences are generally, if not always, the result of embarrassed, obscure and feeble thought."
Hugh Blair, 1783

-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail:  crispy_bird at yahoo.com

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com