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Reference, Questions and Help => Nuke Q&A => Transportation & Disposal => Topic started by: Dave Warren on Jul 03, 2007, 10:12

Title: X-Ray Disposal
Post by: Dave Warren on Jul 03, 2007, 10:12

Does anyone have any guidance on cleaning and disposing of old medical X-Rays?
Is there any guiding document to disposal?
Any help would be appreciated.

Title: Re: X-Ray Disposal
Post by: spentfuel on Jul 03, 2007, 01:07

The answer would depend on what type of x-ray equipment and if it contains a radioactive source.

I have disposed of analytical x-ray units by removing all visable labeling which included removal of the tube which is still on my shelf.

In my state I also had to de-register it and as it was disposed of as scrap metal did not have to follow up with any future users concerns.

I have also sent one "radiation machine" out of state to a University in which I was directed by my State to notify the receiver of the unit and his states radiological branch of the transfer.

Hope that helps a little

P.S. if its got a source in it its quite a bit more of a pain in the you know what but is doable

sf

Title: Re: X-Ray Disposal
Post by: Dave Warren on Jul 03, 2007, 01:45

I was actually referring to the actual X-rays, meaning the paper photo's.
I do appreciate your help though...
The Ohio EPA office told me that it was OK to throw them in the regular trash. I am still doing some research to clarify that claim.

Title: Re: X-Ray Disposal
Post by: Marlin on Jul 03, 2007, 02:29

This may be a silly question but why were they taken? Could there be a medical driver (OSHA) that requires their retention? Just asking in case that angle was not addressed.

Title: Re: X-Ray Disposal
Post by: alphadude on Jul 03, 2007, 02:46

recycle as silver. there are lots of companies that will take them since they are silver heavy. mark the container as "recycle" that will get you out of RCRA for a while. If you plan to "dispose" of them they are RCRA wastes, and you have a time limit on it, and need a EPA ID number and etc etc etc etc.  RECYCLE or BE SORRY

Contact the state haz waste department.. they always fail TCLP on silver.  Don't depend on someother department to tell you otherwise.

Title: Re: X-Ray Disposal
Post by: Dave Warren on Jul 03, 2007, 03:18

This was at an old Metals Facility in Ashtabula, Ohio.
The project is complete and the records part is almost complete.
The records employees found the X-rays.

Title: Re: X-Ray Disposal
Post by: raymcginnis on Jul 05, 2007, 10:42

I found this guide at the Ohio EPA site that refutes your other Ohio EPA advisor's claim that you can dispose of them in the regular landfill.  According to it, film is considered a hazardous waste in Ohio (as everywhere because it is Federally under RCRA).  This brochure confirms alphadude's advice on recycling.  If you recycle, the regulations relax quite a bit.  Here is a link to the Ohio EPA pdf file:

http://www.epa.state.oh.us/ocapp/sb/publications/photo.pdf

We had a molten salt experiment here in the 1970s.  One of the things that we fed into it was film.  The polymers turned into nontoxic gasses and a big chunk of silver would fall out of the bottom.  It was amazing to see how much silver was actually recoverable from the film.

Title: Re: X-Ray Disposal
Post by: alphadude on Jul 09, 2007, 05:34

silver is very high now $$.. so somebody will take them.  dont try to recycle yourself because it is a cynaide bath process and we dont need another dead rct on our hands for $100 in silver...

shucks vern dont know why his lips turned blue???