Re: Advice to teachers? (Was minigenerators)

[Wes Van Pelt <VanPeltW@IDT.NET>]

Jack Couch wrote:

  I got to thinking last night about Michael's observation regarding
  radioactive waste generated in schools. It's not just the Cs-137
  residue
  and associated contaminated gloves, absorbant paper, etc. from
  minigenerators but a host of other sources of waste. I'm thinking of
  solid
  alpha, beta and gamma sources no longer needed or sources in liquid
  solution (Cs-137, Co-60, Na-22, Sr-90, Pb-210 to name a few with
  longer
  half-lives) that could produce contaminated waste. Many such sources
  can be
  purchased by teachers without a license from school science supply
  companies, including Oxford, in 0.1 to 10 uCi quantities, depending
  on the
  radionuclide. These are exempt or "license free" quantities
  (10CFR30:18).

  I have had more than one high school teacher ask me what they should
  do
  with their waste, and I haven't really been able to offer a good
  answer--one that I'm happy with, anyway. Technically, if I
  understand
  correctly, exempt quantities of any of the above materials can be
  incinerated, disposed of down a sink or thrown in the trash to be
  buried in
  a municipal sanitary landfill.

  I wonder, though, if this is a good idea, particularly from the
  standpoint
  of public attitudes and perceptions regarding anything that is
  radioactive.
  It most certainly doesn't set a good example for today's
  environment-minded
  students. To continue to accumulate and store these wastes in school

  science storerooms isn't a good idea, either.

Jack,

I disagree. I think it sets a very GOOD example to throw away an exempt
quantity in the garbage, toilet or any old way. Perhaps today's
environment-minded students should think QUANTITATIVELY, instead of
qualitatively.  Just because we can detect radiation does not make it
hazardous. A quick lesson about ALI, dose and risk would be good for
today's environment-minded kids.

If we HPs display fear when faced with a harmless quantity of
radioactivity, how can we expect others to make reasonable risk
evaluations in their lives?

cheers, Wes
--
Wesley R. Van Pelt, Ph.D., CIH, CHP                KF2LG
President, Van Pelt Associates, Inc.
Consulting in radiological health and safety.
mailto:VanPeltW@IDT.net
http://shell.idt.net/~vanpeltw/index.html