Re: "Hot" Medical Waste in CA

["Dale E. Boyce" <dale@radpro.uchicago.edu>]

We have had sinilar problems over the past few years.  Ga-67 is
the prevalent isotope found in waste here.  Bad news with it is
that it turns up in diapers of incontinent patients.  The
first 24 hrs or so it comes out in the urine.  After that it is
in the stool.  One of the things I am told it is used for is
differential diagnosis of pneaumonia and lung cancer in AIDS patients.
So don't get stuck.

It is a pet peeve of mine when regulators "in the interest of public safety"
force us to do things that endanger personnel.

At our place Environmental Services have the people who load
the trucks trained to use a survey instrument equipped with a
crystal probe.  It has helped some, but we still occasionally
get a returned box.  At least we don't get entire dumpsters
back like at least one institution I know of has!

Probably your best bet is to use a gate monitor like the disposal
sites use.  Place it where the waste must go through it prior
to loading on the truck or dumpster.  We were trying to get
our disposal company to include it in their contract.  Hasn't
happened yet, but it still may.  The company we use has the
Bicron system that is frequently advertised for this purpose.

Dale E. Boyce
dale@radpro.uchicago.edu