Sewer Disposal & Plumbing

["Sue M. Dupre" <DUPRE%PUCC.bitnet@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu>]

Hello, all!  Months ago I sought advice from you all about implementing a sewer
disposal program.  Your help was appreciated, and we're now well on our way to-
wards having an operational sewer disposal program.  To lay the groundwork for
this, we've met with the University's plumbing shop staff and have discussed
the program and providing health physics coverage when they have to work on the
designated sinks.  I'd like to hear about your experience with the effect of
sewer disposal of radioisotopes on the plumbing.  To what extent do you provide
HP coverage for work on plumbing downline from the sink?  To what extent do you
find pipes throughout the building and near the outflow contaminated?  Have you
had any major renovation projects where significant lengths of contaminated
pipe had to be removed?  How were those pipes treated?  As radioactive waste or
were you able to establish de minimis levels for the release of the pipes?  Are
the plumbers specially outfitted for work on potentially contaminated sinks?
Do they have a dedicated set of tools?  What kind of gloves do they wear for
this work?  Our plumbers mentioned that they're sometimes splashed when they
first cut into a pipe - do you think there's a need for face shields?

I'd love to benefit from someone else's years of experience with the dirty side
of sewer disposal.  Respond to me via the list or directly to me at:
     dupre@princeton.edu     or    (609)258-6252.

Thanks in advance!

Sue Dupre/Health Physicist/Princeton University