Disposal of low-level radioactive waste. Impact on the medical profession

D. R. Brill, E. W. Allen, L. G. Lutzker, K. A. McKusick, R. J. Petersen, O. M. Powell and G. J. Weir

During 1985, low-level radioactive waste disposal has become a critical concern. The issue has been forced by the threatened closure of the three commercial disposal sites. The medical community has used radioactive isotopes for decades in nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, radioimmunoassay, and biomedical research. Loss of disposal capacity for radioactive wastes generated by these activities, by the suppliers of radioisotopes, and by pharmaceutical companies will have a profound impact on the medical profession.