I was tempted today

[Fatdaddy]

I was working at the hospital today and wandered by the metal recyling dumpster at the dock. I noticed a large U shaped section of 3" lead pipe sitting next to it, sealed up on both ends, airtightlike ....zoikes...lead!? One of the biomed guys was there and I asked him about it. He said it was a disposable device used to contain a radioactive gas (Xenon I think)
I asked him if it was still radioactive and he said it probably still had some residual in it.
It was hard to leave it but I was a little fearfull for my health.
Better safe than sorry.

[ept000]

I'm surprised it's ok just to put something like that in a recycling bin if it might be radioactive!

[Crazy4nitro]

I would have tried to snag it anyway.

'Nitro

[craig110]

The lead won't become radioactive and yes, unless they really made a bad mistake, it should be safe if it was just in a dumpster. If it was Xenon, it was likely Xenon-133 which is used in several different ways in the radiology world. Its half-life is only 5.4 days (which is pretty quick) and Xenon is a noble gas, so even if you breathed a tiny bit of residue, it wouldn't chemically hurt you. I would have taken it to the radiology department to confirm that it was safe to be thrown out and ask them if it was safe to melt down. I'm guessing that if it was safe to throw out but you were concerned about residues, they would suggest just leaving it open outside for a few weeks. All the Xenon gas should be long-gone by then as it wouldn't bind with the lead atoms, and any that didn't leave would likely have decayed. Or, better yet, they could have just stuck a geiger counter tube into it to confirm that it was harmless.

But, that said, I agree: Better safe than sorry if you aren't sure. It might really be worth striking up a friendship with the radiology techs, though, so that they might set aside any safe tubes for you to melt down.

[Fatdaddy]

The biomed tech is a pretty knowledeable guy so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I did however seriously consider taking my chances.
It weighed a good 50 or 60lbs.

[MONTEGOD7SS]

I would be back down there right now on my head in that dumpster retrieving it.

[Glooooock]

We have turbine gearboxes from the 50s -60s where the magnesium has trace levels of radiation . You have to disclose it on international shipments as the detector will click a few times . The test gear is sooo sensitive now .

[freakshow10mm]

I would be back down there right now on my head in that dumpster retrieving it.
:iagree:

[craig110]

We have turbine gearboxes from the 50s -60s where the magnesium has trace levels of radiation . You have to disclose it on international shipments as the detector will click a few times . The test gear is sooo sensitive now .

Huh? It must be something other than the magnesium that is being detected as the longest half-life I see for a magnesium isotope (Mg-28) is only 21.3 hours. After a half century, the amount left is only 2 to the 20,500th+ power of the original amount. For you non-math folks, that basically means that nothing is left.

[jawjaboy]

When I hit da nurse up for dat lead container my radio shot was in Monday, she say "ohhh no, cain't do dat, we haf'ta account fer 'em, they re-use 'em." :mad:

Koski said dey would'nt let me have it. Damn he smart. Wish I was a engineer. :supergrin:

[Brass Nazi]

The bullets made from that lead would be extra deadly!

[RustyFN]

I was working at the hospital today and wandered by the metal recyling dumpster at the dock. I noticed a large U shaped section of 3" lead pipe sitting next to it, sealed up on both ends, airtightlike ....zoikes...lead!? One of the biomed guys was there and I asked him about it. He said it was a disposable device used to contain a radioactive gas (Xenon I think)
I asked him if it was still radioactive and he said it probably still had some residual in it.
It was hard to leave it but I was a little fearfull for my health.
Better safe than sorry.
So you glow in the dark for a little while. Small price to pay for free bullets.
Rusty

[Fatdaddy]

It was gone today...probably for the best. Not sure I could walk away again.

[zdogk9]

You blew it, That radioactive lead is an essential part of the Monkey Magnum.

[BIGGUNGOBOOM]

I think i would have taken the chance. Might make for some bad arse deadly rounds. GO BACK AND GRAB IT, SHIP IT TO ME AND I WILL DISPOSE OF IT FOR YOU. NOW!