Re: waste storage

[a.zapantis@qut.edu.au (Alex Zapantis)]

>The Idaho State Board of Education may fund a chemical/radioactive waste 
>storage building for Idaho State U.  
>
>I would like to pick the brains of the members of this group to see 
>what you would ask for if you were given unlimited funding (however 
>unlikely) for your low level radioactive waste storage.


The Queensland Health Department has just (ie a couple of months ago)
finished building a low level radioactive waste storage facility. It will be
used solely for sealed sources and cost somewhere in the vicinity of $1.5M
Australian. Basically it is a single storey concrete building with three
separate storage rooms, a bathroom, a room containing a computer and a
fumecupboard and a large receiving area with kitchen facilities and a
concrete pit 1m deep, 3m wide and 2m long (approx). Packages that have been
breached are to be placed in the pit pending repackaging.

One of the storage rooms is air tight and is for sources which produce
radon. This storage area is equipped with two radon monitors which read
directly in Bq per cubic metre. Each radon monitor is interrogated
periodically by the computer and the data are logged. The radon store is
also fitted with an air extraction system. The airlock can not be opened
until the air extraction system has been activated and has run for a preset
time.

The remaining two storage rooms are for sources which do not produce radon.
Each is equipped with gamma area monitors which are connected to separate
alarm towers. 

There is also an external gamma monitor and alarm tower in case a vehicle
with a hot load arrives.

The facility has a comprehensive alarm system ie motion detectors, ir beams
and a local video recording system. If the intruder alarm is tripped, a
secure video recorder located on site begins recording from cameras which
are strategically located.

The alarm systems ie gamma, radon and intruder are connected via radio link
to the state security office.

Other features include a dock leveller and internal powered block and tackle
on rails mounted on the ceiling. The Facility also has a comprehensive fire
detection and suppression system which is also centrally monitored.

If I was given unlimited funding, I would ask for all of the above!!!

If you would like more information contact Radiation Health at:

                        The Director
                        Radiation Health
                        450 Gregory Terrace
                        Fortitude Valley Qld 4006
                        Australia

                        fax: 61 7 252 9021
They do not have email.

Radiation Health is a section of the Queensland Health Department.

I used to work there. They are a pretty good bunch of people and I'm sure
they would be happy to provide you with further information if you asked for
it. The Directors name is John Wallace.


 




                        Alex Zapantis
                        Radiation Safety Officer                               
                        Queensland University of Technology          
                        Health & Safety Section                             
                        Locked Bag No.2
                        Red Hill Qld 4059
                        AUSTRALIA

                        Ph     : 61 7 864 3566
                        fax     : 61 7 864 3993
                        email  : a.zapantis@qut.edu.au