Radioactive thingys, safe to throw away?

[Skywalker[TSG]]

Hey

I've gots me a few pieces of Amercium 241
the same stuff thats in smoke detectors
this is radioactive so I'm trying to find out how to get rid of it

I emailed this government agency that deals with nuclear waste
and they told me that they think it's safe to just put it in the trash.

but that If I wanted to sent it to them that they could send me
some sort of radiation sheileded package.

So what gives ? If I need a shielded package it cant be safe to just throw away can it

[Theophylact]

Here's what EPA says. Not too useful, I fear...

[nomaxim]

Does it glow in the dark?

Put it in a mouse cage for a month or two, what happens?

Did a Google search; Found ???

Never mind, Theo beat me to it!

[Skywalker[TSG]]

Originally posted by Theophylact
Here's what EPA says. Not too useful, I fear...

perhaps more usefull is the americum were still inside the detector.


Transuranic wastes contain isotopes beyond uranium on the periodic table. These are typically the by-products of fuel assemblies or reprocessing plants. Typically, their radiation level is low, but they are comprised of several long-lived isotopes. Specifically transuanic wastes have half-lives greater than 20 years and possess a greater total activity than 100 nanocuries per gram of waste material. Transuanic wastes give off very little heat and can generally be handled by non-remote control methods. These wastes are generally placed in retrievable storage as opposed to the long-term storage of high-level wastes. Some examples of transuranic wastes are: plutonium-239 (half life 24,110 yrs), americum-241 (half life 7,370 yrs), curium-244 (half life 18.11 years)


hmm interesting
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m11...07/print.jhtml

no more power bills

[Theophylact]

Just out of curiosity, Skywalker[TSG], how do you happen to have loose bits of Americium on hand?

(Long half-life and low-level radioactivity obviously go together, by the way.)

[Skywalker[TSG]]

I wanted to see what it looked like

Now I have like 10 pieces of the stuff
and I'm starting to think that It might not be
safe , They are in a led box outdoors so It's safe for now
since it's Alpha rays , They cant get through the led.
But I want to get rid of the stuff.

[Theophylact]

Weren't planning something like this, were you?

[Gomer]

read it free here =)
http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html

But for God's sake lad... do protect your eyes!!!

[Mike]

Sky playing with radioactive objects, I am shocked!!!

[Agent_Embryo]

I am not surprised Mike.