re: Feline I-131 Release Criteria

[David Walland <David.Walland@bristol.ac.uk>]

This may be the reason why we on this side of the pond are not allowed to release for so long.  Our litter must be 
below 4 Bq per gram before we release the cat.  We don't believe you can expect members of the public to stick to 
the rules every time.

David Walland
University of Bristol (UK)
David.Walland@bristol.ac.uk


On Mon, 30 Oct 95 10:14:17 -0600 David L. Wannigman wrote:

> From: David L. Wannigman <DWannigman@lanl.gov>
> Date: Mon, 30 Oct 95 10:14:17 -0600
> Subject: re: Feline I-131 Release Criteria
> To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
> 
> Our municipal landfill had an interesting experience about a year ago when 
> all their portal radiation monitors alarmed in response to a city garbage 
> truck.  The source of the radiation was kitty litter laced with I-131.  
> When the family cat was returned to the owners following an 1-131 thyroid 
> treatment, they were informed to hold on to the litter for a couple weeks 
> to allow for decay.  Unfortunately, they forgot and sent along the excreta 
> with their regular trash.   The local HAZMAT team responded to the alarms, 
> identified the radiation source, and segregated the waste and all it had 
> contaminated until it decayed.  It was the "hot" story around here for over 
> a week!
> 
> ------------------------------------------------
> David Wannigman
> Los Alamos National Lab
> e-mail:  dwannigman@lanl.gov
> Phone:  (505) 667-0980
> Fax:  (505) 667-1009