Answer to Question #556 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

We have some airport-type x-ray baggage scanning machines and are in the process of removing them. Is there a radioactive source that is active or is it only active when powered up? Are there any disposal problems (radioactive components) associated with disposal of these machines?

I don't think the type of machine you mention has radioactive sources—the radiation source is more likely to be an x-ray tube. If the radiation source is an x-ray tube, there is no residual radioactivity.

The manuals for the machines should indicate whether the source is an x-ray tube or a radioactive source. This information should also be available from the manufacturer. A clue can also be gotten from the labeling on the machine. If it has a label with wording to the effect "Caution, produces radiation when energized" it has an x-ray tube. If it has a radioactive source the label would say "Caution, Radioactive Materials" and you would have a radioactive materials license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

If an x-ray device is transferred to another user, the new user might have registration requirements, depending upon who the recipient is and under what jurisdiction. If the recipient were to rebuild the unit or use the radiation-producing components in some other configuration, there might be requirements imposed by the applicable state radiation regulatory agency and/or by the Food and Drug Administration, Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

C.E. Roessler, Ph.D., CHP

Answer posted on January 9, 2001. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.