Nuclear Risks at Bed, Bath & Beyond Show Dangers of Scrap

[cheapmeister]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-19/nuclear-risks-at-bed-bath-beyond-show-hidden-danger-of-scrap.html?cmpid=otbrn.sustain.story

Tissue boxes made of recycled metal were found to be radioactive at a show in the US. The discovery of radioactive tissue boxes at Bed, Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) stores in January raised alarms among nuclear security officials and company executives over the growing global threat of contaminated scrap metal.


Some excerpts:


More than 120 shipments of contaminated goods including cutlery, buckles and work tools like hammers and screwdrivers were denied U.S. entry between 2003 and 2008 after customs and the Department of Homeland Security boosted radiation monitoring at borders. The department declined to provide updated figures or comment on how the metal tissue boxes at Bed, Bath & Beyond, tainted with melted cobalt-60 used in medical instruments to diagnose and treat cancer, evaded detection.

more


Chronic exposure to low doses of radiation can lead to cataracts, cancer and birth defects, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. A 2005 study of more than 6,000 Taiwanese who lived in apartments built with radioactive reinforcing steel from 1983 to 2005 showed a statistically significant increase in leukemia and breast cancer.

and


An October 2008 delivery of radioactive elevator buttons assembled by Mafelec, a Chimilin, France-based company that makes control and signaling gear, contained radioactive metal shipped from India. Employees who handled the buttons were exposed to three times the safe dose of radiation for non- nuclear workers, according to regulators at the Autorite de Surete Nucleaire, France’s nuclear energy watchdog. Mafelec said at the time it had cut ties with the Indian supplier.

The nuclear industry portrays itself as a clean and 'green' but this really isn't the case. Since everything sold in out stores today are imported, does our gov't check for radiation contamination? Do the stores check their products? I mean you or me could go to the store and buy some saws and hammers and other metallic stuff (cutlery) and it could be contaminated. I don't want to get unnecessary radiation exposure. I don't think having radioactive cutlery is any good, even kids can get contaiminated too.

[Mark77]

The nuclear industry portrays itself as a clean and 'green' but this really isn't the case.


Cobalt-60 products are generated through the irradiation of Cobalt metal, and are used for medical procedures. Are you suggesting that radiation therapy should be discontinued for cancer patients?

The "nuclear industry" isn't responsible for the medical industry's mis-use of products that are no longer required for their purposes.



Since everything sold in out stores today are imported, does our gov't check for radiation contamination?


Obviously these shipments were detected. And radiation detection gear is in place at most border crossings.




Do the stores check their products? I mean you or me could go to the store and buy some saws and hammers and other metallic stuff (cutlery) and it could be contaminated. I don't want to get unnecessary radiation exposure. I don't think having radioactive cutlery is any good, even kids can get contaiminated too.

Nearly all consumer items, to some extent, contain radioactivity, ie: unstable isotopes.

Your exposure to harmful radiation is likely greater on a single cross-country airplane flight than it is from consumer items imported from China. Gotta keep it in perspective.

[007craft]

I guess everything does cause Cancer. Where can I buy one of those watches that detects radiation. I know they exist. I would love to see if random objects around me have high radiation or not.

[Supercooled]

I guess everything does cause Cancer. Where can I buy one of those watches that detects radiation. I know they exist. I would love to see if random objects around me have high radiation or not.


that dounds cool and actually useful. i guess everything from dolla store should be boycotted. most if not all their stuff is from china.

[sandikosh]

You all know that one day you will die for some reason? Right?

[Lazy Susan]

You all know that one day you will die for some reason? Right?

That's a stupid way to look at it but feel free to jump off of a high rise to make your point.

[laptop-tech]

I guess everything does cause Cancer. Where can I buy one of those watches that detects radiation. I know they exist. I would love to see if random objects around me have high radiation or not.

http://medgadget.com/2005/09/gammawatch_radi.html

[AudiDude]

I guess everything does cause Cancer. Where can I buy one of those watches that detects radiation. I know they exist. I would love to see if random objects around me have high radiation or not.

F-that. My watches come with the radiation built in!!

http://blog.breitlingsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/marathon-csar02.jpg

http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6c1771a-6bcc-3ea4.jpg

[Vanno]

Nice AUDIDUDE. I have an MSAR...love the watches.

[mcplar]

H3 (tritium) is pretty harmless ;) It's the older stuff (radium) that you really need to watch out for.

As for the OP's comment that the 'nuclear industry portraying it's self green blah blah' - how does this have anything to do with the 'industry'. These sorts of things are causes by people trying to work outside the industry regulations.

[Ottomaddox]

I'm looking forward to the days when all the crap my wife buys from there lights up the room on it's own.

[gibguitar]

This reminds me an awful lot of the Japan tsunami misinformation. People are really uninformed or uneducated when it comes to radiation... seems people fear what they don't understand.

Your peanut butter and bananas are radioactive too, guys. Time to crawl into a corner.

[sandikosh]

F-that. My watches come with the radiation built in!!

http://blog.breitlingsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/marathon-csar02.jpg

You need 5 watches in one to tell the time?

[AudiDude]

You need 5 watches in one to tell the time?

Some of us like being ridiculously accurate.;)

Besides the Marathon CSAR tells you the time in hours minutes and seconds. It tells you how long the chronograph has been running in hours minutes and seconds. The outer bezel is used to tell you how much air is in your air tanks while diving (up to 1000ft). Stupid thing is missing a tachymeter so I don't know how fast I am flying. Maybe I should get a better watch...

Well I guess if I happen to be flying my airplane that day I'll just wear this:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/6836156486_886377f914_b.jpg

Now I'm covered for checking my speed while flying my airlplane. It also covers me for spacewalks when I leave my space shuttle sometimes like I like to do. And if I ever go to the moon again, I am GTG for a moon walk.

[Blockwork]

F-that. My watches come with the radiation built in!!

http://blog.breitlingsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/marathon-csar02.jpg

now that is a sexy watch

[konfusion666]

F-that. My watches come with the radiation built in!!

http://blog.breitlingsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/marathon-csar02.jpg

http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6c1771a-6bcc-3ea4.jpg

+1

still have a marathon on my "to buy" list...

[edgedamage]

Some of us like being ridiculously accurate.;)

Besides the Marathon CSAR tells you the time in hours minutes and seconds. It tells you how long the chronograph has been running in hours minutes and seconds. The outer bezel is used to tell you how much air is in your air tanks while diving (up to 1000ft). Stupid thing is missing a tachymeter so I don't know how fast I am flying. Maybe I should get a better watch...

Well I guess if I happen to be flying my airplane that day I'll just wear this:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/6836156486_886377f914_b.jpg

Now I'm covered for checking my speed while flying my airlplane. It also covers me for spacewalks when I leave my space shuttle sometimes like I like to do. And if I ever go to the moon again, I am GTG for a moon walk.

God I HATE wearing watches, but I love watches.

[MrKap]

Cobalt-60 products are generated through the irradiation of Cobalt metal, and are used for medical procedures. Are you suggesting that radiation therapy should be discontinued for cancer patients?

The radiation theraphy is designed to kill entire portions of living tissue inside a human being.

That's why cancer treatments are potentially fatal. They sometimes have to kill portions of living tissue with is dangerously close to other tissue which is essential for the whole to keep on going.


Think of cancer as the "Bad" living tissue which needs to be killed before it infects and spreads to the rest of the good living tissue.

That's where radiation steps in.