Re: Disposal of radioactive animal carcasses

[selwood@ss_031.pppl.GOV (Steve Elwood)]

>To: jdillon@ligand.com
>From: selwood@neutron.pppl.gov (Steve Elwood)
>Subject: Re: Disposal of radioactive animal carcasses
>
>>
>>       
>>       Since those of us in California have no disposal site available, I 
>>       am trying to find out some information on the disposal of 
>>       radioactive animal carcasses.  Understanding that below the 0.05 
>>       uCi/gm they do not have to be classified as radioactive, but what 
>>       if the animal has a higher concentration than that?  I have heard 
>>       that some people have been grinding the animals in an industrial 
>>       garbage disposal and sewering them as liquid waste.  Is this an 
>>       acceptable means for disposal?  What other options are available?
>>       
>>       Thanks
>>       Jon Dillon
>>       RSO
>>       Ligand Pharmaceuticals
>>       jdillon@ligand.com
>>       (619)550-7613
>>
>
>Jon,
>
>Back in my days in the pharmaceutical industry most all of the radioactive 
animal carcasses were
>incinerated (remembering this is New Jersey we're talking about).  The 
majority of the incinerated animals
>were from radiopharmaceutical studies using H-3, C-14, I-125, and P-32, the 
latter possessing the most
>stringent regulatory limit.  The animals would be sorted, and curie content 
tallied by nuclide, calculations 
>were then performed to assure compliance with stack emissions release 
limits.  The animal carcasses
>were then incinerated and the partially radioactive ash collected, sampled, 
and disposed of as solid 
>radioactive waste.  Throughout the year the total curie content released 
per nuclide was tracked.  
>As the effluent approached the yearly regulatory limit, the material 
containing that nuclide was packaged
>for shipment in a special (and very costly) "carcass" drum.
>
>To my knowledge, most pharmaceutical research facilities posses permits to 
incinerate biohazardous/radioactive
>materials.
>