Re: Sewer disposal of rad waste

["A. Hancock" <a.hancock@s1.cxwms.ac.uk>]

Richard J Sobilo wrote:
> 
> Radsafers:
> 
> I have been asked by our companys' regulatory policy committee, to justify
> the practice of disposing of radioactive material through the sanitary
> sewerage system. 
> 
--------------------------------------

Richard 

It's the legally authorised method of disposal of aqueous r/a waste in
the UK. Each user is set an annual or monthly limit by the Environment
Agency. You can request whatever limit, as a user, you like. However
each application must be "justified" and the total annual estimated dose
to a member of a critical exposed group (sewerage workers) must be
shown, by detailed radiological assessment, to be below 0.3mSv/yr (30
mrem), "optimisation". This is the recommended dose constraint for such
exposures issued by the UK National Radiological Protection Board.

Yes, do think about the pipes however, they will become contaminated.
These pipes, where access is available, should be labelled as a
potential hazard.

Compared to everything else that goes down the sewers however I don't
think a little bit of radioactivity is going to do much harm. It
certainly beefed up them Turtles!!!

Cheers All

Andy Hancock
Charing Cross Hospital
London UK
a.hancock@cxwms.ac.uk