System Sensor Radioactive Material - Effects and Disposal

Technical Field Bulletin Radioactive material effects and disposal System Sensor customers Application Engineers 8 02 1 04 regard to questions concerning the use of radioactive material in our detectors and the health and safety of those in contact same System Sensor ionization smoke detectors contain no more than 5 to 1 microcurie of Americium 241 The following acquired from the Ionization Smoke Detector Information Bureau which is an active member of NEMA National Manufacturers Association says actuality ionization smoke detectors use a minute amount of a radioactive material known as Americium 241 AM 241 which is material derived from processing at US Government laboratories According to all scientific evidence the amount of radioactivity in the use of the ionization smoke detector is virtually undetectable with standard radiation measuring devices It is and is less than 1 1000th of the exposure received from natural background radiation sources such as the rays from the sun most people are not aware of is that radiation is a naturally occurring condition Substances similar in activity to AM 241 a of elements known as actinides are widely distributed in all rocks and soil and are even found in limited amounts in people amount of radioactivity in a typical home ionization smoke detector is equivalent to the amounts of actinides in the volume of soil in planting a large bush Union made extensive tests for radiation from ionization smoke detectors and concluded believe ionization detectors virtually no hazard from radiation but valuable protection from fire Nuclear Regulatory Commission has released an extensive report on what effect if any there may be in the production use and disposal of said detectors over an extended period Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations regarding ionization smoke detectors states purchaser is exempt from any requirements The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and OECD recommend that home type detectors with less than 5 microcuries of Am 241 may be disposed of without you have any questions concerning System Sensor products or their application contact Technical Services at 1 800 SENSOR2 736 7672 extension 2 Ohio Avenue St Charles IL 60174 Phone 800 736 7672 Fax 630 377 6583 www systemsensor com