Radioactive poop in adult diapers is causing trash problems in Pennsylvania
🗑️ Police warn against putting radioactive medical waste in household trash
🚛 Four Casella Waste garbage trucks sidelined after radiation alerts
🏥 Residents advised to work with doctors for safe disposal methods
NORTHAMPTON, Pa. — Officials are asking residents not to put "radioactive" material in their garbage for pickup.
Radioactive materials in residential waste streams can include materials that may come from individuals undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Certain by-products can register as radioactive in adult diapers, clothing and bed linens, according to Northampton police.
Medical waste from cancer treatments can trigger alarms
Even at a low level, it can cause trucks picking up garbage to be flagged, pulled from service, and quarantined. Four trucks used by Casella Waste Systems (Whitetail Disposal) to pick up trash in Northampton are currently are out of service.
Safe disposal guidelines for patients and families
"We ask for your help in keeping our workers, equipment, and community safe. If you or someone in your household may have materials of concern, please contact your healthcare provider or local waste authority for proper disposal options," police said in their message.
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine says that because the radioactivity will decay in a short period of time it can be temporarily kept in a plastic trash bag.
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