RE: HOT MEDICAL WASTE IN CA

[ANDRES SINISTERRA <SINISTERRA@sun1.uchc.edu>]

In reply to Mark How's post regarding Regulated Medical Waste (RMW):

A few years ago we addressed this issue and decided to check all 
containers. 
Every morning we survey every container with a Ludlum-3 with an NaI 
probe prior
to turning them over to the vendor.  All positive containers get 
removed and the
isotope identified with an MCA.  The activity gets estimated and they 
get placed
in storage for decay.  To give an idea as to the manpower it takes, 
last quarter
we surveyed 3831 containers of different sizes.  78 (2.0%) containers 
were found
to be "HOT" and all with Nuclear Medicine isotopes.

We have also begun to survey the dumpster every mornig.  One of the 
problems is
that if a child receives a diagnostic dose (i.e., 4.0 mCi MIBG), the 
diper will
concentrate the activity and will give you a nive hot spot on the 
dumpster.  Most
diagnostic patient can excrete into the sewer system.

I hope this is of some help....

Andres

P.S.:  Are any medical people going to San Francisco...

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Andres Sinisterra
Asst. Radiation Safety Officer for Medicine
University of Connecticut Health Center

Internet: Sinisterra@sun.uchc.edu
Bitnet:   Sinisterra@Uconnhc
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