in the Chemical Laboratory Edited by N O R M A N V. STEERE, 140 Melbourne Ave., S:E. Minneapolis, Minn. 554 14
CXXIII. An Improved Container for Radioactive Waste in Laboratories and Hospitals
Ell A. Port Director, Center for Radiation Safety Northwestern University 333 E. Huron Street, Chicago, lllinois 606 11
The larger waste user frequently finds that he is collecting radioactive waste in several different forms and usually in severa1 types of containers. At Northwestern University we have been collecting liquid waste in non-breakable polyethylene 5-galLon jugs which are the size and shape of a 5-gallon drum, and solid waste in step-on waste cans lined with disposable plastic hags. Disposable plastic bags present a number of problems which are recognized
A248 1 Journal of Chemical Education
but have not been totally overcome. These problems include: . 1. Breakage of bags due to excessive weight 2. Tearing of bags due to sharp objects within the bag ' 3. Puncture wounds and cuts to individuals handling the bags, due to the contents of the bags. Another undesirable feature of plastic hags is that unless they ate compacted in
...a
a!D
feafure
containers used to ship wastes, plastic bags leave large voids in either drums or fiberboard boxes resulting in excessive waste removal costs. Compaction of waste is possible, but requires specially designed equipment to minimize the dispersal of radioactive material. We therefore sought an alternative for handling dry waste which will require little or no capitalization and will be at least as safe and convenient as plastic hags. Our objective was to develop a simple system using readily available components or those which can be obtained at a low cost. Our radioactive waste disposal service requires that all waste be removable in fiber drums with heavy polyethylene liners. We have been collecting waste in 1and 3 cubic foot bags and transferring the bags directly to 55-gallon drums with the above described oroblems of Door utilization of spsrr within the large drums, breakage of bag* and i n j u r e ; tu .mff We settled upon the adoption of a funnel top and a fiherboard drum which can serve both as a collection container and a shipping container. The funnel top is available as Rubbermaid part #3548; the fiberboard drums are available from Greif Bros. Corp. a8 V22 SF 5PE3. (Continued on page A251)
Safety
. ..
The drum has a polyethylene liner which is 18" longer than the drum. The liner is pulled up through the funnel top opening and drawn down over the funnel top and upper portion of the drum, protecting the funnel top and the upper portion of the drum from contamination. (Fig. 1) When
the drum is filled the inverted liner is lifted straight up and tied off s t the mouth of the funnel top. (Fig. 2) The funnel top is removed and the drum head is installed on the drum in the laboratory. (Fig. 3) At the time of the removal of the full drum from the lnhorntory, a new drum is placed in the lahorntor), and the funnel top t ~ t e d The . filled drums are removed to the radioactive waste room where they are inventoried, surveyed, labelled to comply with DOT Reeulations and sealed.
Fig. 3. Collenion container becomer shipping container which meets DOT regulations
Fig. 1. Radioactive solid waste collection contain-
er
The above described operation requires no handling of plastic bags containing radioactive waste, since the liner is bonded a t the lower bead of the drum. The anticipated reduction in waste costs should result from both the improved utilization of space and in the reduction of waste pickups reauired. We are nresentlv evaluatine the syiwrn in n horpitnl whleh has n nuclear medicine department and n full floor of isotope research laboratories, and plan to expand it to the entire Northwestern University system within several months. We anticipate a substantial reduction in vendor and manpower costs while at the same time providing a more convenient waste receptacle and a reduction in injuries.
REFERENCES Tolao. J.. 1971. Plmeedinga of the T h i d Biennial Campus R o d i d o n Safety Offreem Confereme. 220. Tolao. 5.. 1973. Radiooctiw WuL. D i 8 ~ o dIn The University Enuiranmenf. IColumbia, Radiation Safety Ofh e . .University )ir)a iu r~ iy o fta irv .u n i.e .il)a iu r~ iy o fta irof v .u n i.e .iM li
Let's help each other. ,
.
the neighbor.
Fig. 2. Tying plastic liner aner collection container fills
Volume 52, Number 4, April 1975 1 A251
