Re:: Household radioactive materials?

[baumbaug@nosc.mil (Joel T. Baumbaugh)]

     1.   Don't forget the 202 uranium tiles in my bathroom!

     2.    Fiesta  (type) dinner ware. I also have  pretty  green
          thorium glass ware.

     3.    Also, remember those black round things that are  used
          for            making  weird  sounds  on  "some"  radio
          stations.  They had           a whole in the middle and
          a  lot of little grooves.  I           think that  they
          used to reproduce music at one time - yes           its
          coming  to  me  ...RECORDS...that's it.   I  have  some
          "static"  eliminators  (an  alpha emitter  like  Po-210
          which            ionized the dust which which was  then
          picked up by the           pig-hair brush attachment.

     4.    Stove/heating  natural  gas  is  itself  a  source  of
          radioactivity - mostly radon daughters.

     5.   I "used" to have a radium dial boy scout compass.

     6.    I have a tritium gas exit sign in my garage -  doesn't
everyone?

     7.   The government still runs across radium paint once used
          for directive signs.

     8.    Remember, there is still a lot of rebar and table legs
          (never found) from that Mexican contaminated steel from
          Juarez Mexico circa Nov. 84 on.

     9.    In  parts  of the U.S. (especially)  where  there  are
          uranium              mill    tailings   the    building
          construction    materials             themselves    are
          "possibly" a bit "toasty".

     10.   Private  water  wells are also a source of  radon  and
          progeny  (a  politically correct word).  Scion,  issue,
          offspring, d....ters, etc.

     I  KNOW  I've left out a LOT of things......but it's  dinner
time...


     Joel Baumbaugh (baumbaug@nosc.mil)

________________________________________________________________
Message separator
_________________________________________________________________

Date: Thu, 26 Oct 95 14:21:08 -0500
Sender: radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
From: jdelahunt@cc.colorado.edu (John DeLaHunt)
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Subject: Re: Household radioactive materials?

>I  am going to be giving a presentation next week on radioactive
materials
>in  the household.  Can people please give some examples of what
can be found?

Depends on the household.

Mostly,  I'd  think of tritium/promethium watches, compasses  and
"procured"
airplane  nav devices, lantern mantles (thorium impregnated), and
americium
smoke detectors.

This  is,  actually, the list of exempt sources in  the  Colorado
Regulations.

Then  there's  radon  and progeny in the basement,  and  all  the
fallout on the
tobacco leaves in cigarettes.  And the infamous K-40 in bananas.

Hope this helps.

John

*******************************************************
*John DeLaHunt, EH&S      * 1125 Glen Avenue          *
*The Colorado College     * Colorado Springs, CO 80905*
*jdelahunt@cc.colorado.edu* VOX:  (719)389-6678       *
*        Owner:           * FAX:  (719)635-3177       *
*hazmat-l@cc.colorado.edu *                           *
***********This message is hereby disclaimed***********