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Radioactive Rocks
Good afternoon, RADSAFErs:
Our Geology Department would finally like to get rid of some of its
rock and mineral collection, which include some hot specimens. Do
you have any specific comments to offer concerning how we go about
disposing of these unrefined, unprocessed rocks? They're in their
original form, just as they were chipped out of the ground decades
ago. I can't think immediately of regulatory requirements specifying
that these have to go out as radioactive waste. Any experience to the
contrary? If we toss them out, even one by one in the University's
trash heading for the municipal landfill, there's some possibility
that they could set off radiation detectors - if the landfill has any.
Remember that, while you're free to argue and express outrage that
we should even have to consider doing anything special to dispose of
these naturally occurring materials, I really am looking for advice,
previous experience and direction.
with regards,
Sue Dupre
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Sue M. Dupre, Health Physicist
Office of Environmental Health and Safety
Chemical Sciences Building/Forrestal Campus
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ 08544-0710
E-mail: dupre@princeton.edu
Phone: (609) 258-6252
Fax: (609) 258-1804
Visit the EHS Web site at http://www.princeton.edu/~ehs
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