Re: "Hot" Medical Waste in CA

[ehsnet!hps (HPS)]

Reply-to: Wes.Dunn@p2.f13.n233.z1.fidonet.org (Wes Dunn)
Fido-To: hps

Yes, it is a screwy situation.  Makes one wonder what CA is thinking of, since the medical facility can release patients with up to 30 mCi.  That patient can piss where they please, and the waste goes wherever.  Note also that thispatient can be released from the licensed authorization and remain in the facility (or another).  The facility isn't required to worry about the waste, but may find it hard to prove.

My guess is someone got a bright idea during the contretemps about GL devices ending up as scrap metal being melted down.  These places are advised to get detectors, since 500 mCi of Cs-137 isn't something to ignore.  So if that's a good idea, what about medical incinerators, without realizing that almost all medical waste is short-lived.

However, I must toss in the caveat that Metastron (Sr-89), with its 50 day half life starts to through out some of the old considerations.  The CRCPD (State Radiation Control Program Directors) proposed revision to the Part G (Medical) might end up causing plenty of grief to the medical licensees.  They are considering removing the "30 mCi or 5 mR/hr" medical release criteria to match the more stringent NCRP 37 guidelines (no more than 500 mrem to any member of the public).  I would be remiss not to point out that CRCPD Suggested State Regulations (SSR) can have grave inpact on your program if you are in an Agreement State, especially the smaller ones who tend to merely reprint the SSR verbatim.

My guess is the proposed Part G is intended to be presented at the May CRCPD meeting.  You might want to ingratiate yourself with your state regulatory program and get a copy.  It's about 60 pages.  

(A lot of stuff passes my desk that I have to review and comment on, and, believe it or not, even regulators can have too much work to do.  Forgive me for losing track and not bringing some of this to your attention)


Wes

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