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Previous by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Nuclear waste incident in NM in April Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 3:10:29 PM Author: NEAL LANGERMAN <neal**At_Symbol_Here**chemical-safety.com> |
Next by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Nuclear waste incident in NM in April Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 21:12:17 -0600 Author: Daniel Crowl |
Any time you use a commercial product for an off-label use, you are asking for trouble. The manufacturer did not make the litter for oil spills or nuclear waste. Their objective is to make an absorbant material for kitty piss and poo.
The original product years ago was a type of fire clay. But soon many other minerals were used. And then the green craze started and corn cobs (which also have a tradition human waste outhouse history), other types of paper and plant wastes, wood dusts, and more organic stuff entered the field. And not all products identified the materials on the MSDSs--if they even have them.
Another example from my field was the use of Johnson's baby powder to charge fire extinguishers with so that filmed scenes of fire fighting look better on camera. One such scene involved Burt Reynolds. The crew filmed the tech run in which Reynolds put out a stove grease fire. But for the actual filmed scene, the special FX technician grabbed another can of Johnson's Baby powder--this one based on corn starch. But Reynolds sustained severe burns to his toupee in the ensuing explosion/fire.
Monona Rossol, M.S., M.F.A., Industrial Hygienist
President: Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc.
Safety Officer: Local USA829, IATSE
181 Thompson St., #23
New York, NY 10012 212-777-0062
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger McClellan <roger.o.mcclellan**At_Symbol_Here**ATT.NET>
To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Sent: Tue, May 27, 2014 8:01 pm
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Nuclear waste incident in NM in April
To: Steve and others:
The use of organic cat litter versus inorganic material originating from the Los Alamos National Laboratories has been regularly reported in the Albuquerque newspaper without any denial from LANL. I would not been surprised if someone "thought" it was a great "green" idea or some one in purchasing championed a low cost substitute.
I any event the levels measured are extraordinarily low and based on my experience with Pu-239 and Am-241 over the last 50 years including lifespan animal studies and the Russian mayalk workers experience I do not see a basis for health concerns. On the positive side I hope this creates a renewed awareness of the need for a safety oriented culture at WIPP and elsewhere. It is especially disappointing because I think WIPP has great potential for use with civilian origin waste not just defense related waste as is now the case.
Roger McClellan
On Tuesday, May 27, 2014 3:05 PM, "Funck, Steven" <sfunck**At_Symbol_Here**MESSIAH.EDU> wrote:
Can anyone confirm the news reports that the cause of this was that someone used an organic based cat litter vice a clay one?
Steven S. Funck, MS, CSMM
Natural Sciences Laboratory Program Manager
Messiah College
One College Ave.
Suite 3049
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Phone: (717) 796-1800 (ext. 2079)
Fax: (717) 691-6046
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