Re: Disposal of Old Radar Tubes

["Tony LaMastra" <alamastra@enter.net>]

Date:          Thu, 18 Dec 1997 13:07:17 -0600 (CST)
Reply-to:      radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
From:          James Reese <jreese@smtpgate.ddrw.dla.mil>
To:            Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Subject:       Re: Disposal of Old Radar Tubes 


The question of being "caught" is a practical one since many 
municipal and industrial landfills have installed radiation 
monitoring detectors that could easily detect a couple of microcuries 
of cobalt 60, especially if the tubes are close to the vehicle wall.  
If disposal via this route is acceptable under the general license 
that governs the devices, you would be wise to check the tubes with a 
micro-R type meter and make sure the cobalt 60 has decayed to 
background.   Depending on the system, some units can detect a few 
percenty above background.   This is a common problem with 
out-patients that have received I-131 and dispose of tissues and 
other articles soiled by nasal mucous and even sweat.


Tony LaMastra
Health Physics Associates, Inc.
alamastra@enter.net





     Tad
     
     If this were a perfect world you could dispose of these in the normal 
     trash.  However, we have found that the States become very upset when 
     this occurs, especially where a large quantity is involved.  We have 
     been told by State regulators that we would be held liable for 
     cleaning the dump site if we were "caught".  I am not certain how much 
     legal ground they have to support their position, but my employer is 
     not willing to find out.  Therefore we dispose of ours as radioactive 
     waste and suffer the large costs of such a disposal.
     
     Only my thoughts.
     
     Jim Reese
     Defense Logistics Agency
     jreese@ddrw.dla.mil


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Disposal of Old Radar Tubes 
Author:  <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu > at SMTPGATE
Date:    12/18/97 11:32 AM


Seasons Greetings RADSAFErs,
     
I have a question about disposal of old radar tubes that contain less than 
one microcurie of Cobalt-60.  These tubes are purchased and used similar to 
smoke detectors and a license is not required to obtain them.
     
Can these items be thrown away as ordinary trash, as we do smoke detectors?
     
Any help would be appreciated.
     
     
************************** /^\   /^\ *********************************** 
Tad  Blanchard            /__ \ /___\   NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center 
Nat'l Health Svc, Inc          O         Code 205.9, Greenbelt, MD 20771 
Sr Health Physics Tech        / \                    Phone: 301-286-9157 
Assistant RSO                /___\                   Fax:   301-286-1618
                 mailto:Tad.M.Blanchard.1@GSFC.NASA.gov
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