Feds urged to get rid of possible 'dirty' bomb tools

Source: Houston Chronicle

The U.S. government should replace more than 1,000 irradiation machines used in hospitals and research facilities because terrorists could use the radioactive materials inside to make a "dirty" bomb, a government advisory panel has concluded.

"Any one of these 1,000-plus sources could shut down 25 square kilometers, anywhere in the United States, for 40-plus years," according to panel documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The machines are in relatively unprotected locations such as hospitals and research facilities throughout the country, and may be a tempting source of radioactive materials for terrorists who want bombs that explode and disperse radioactive debris over a large area, rendering it uninhabitable, the board found.

<snip>

Switching to X-ray machines or irradiators that use other materials would cost about $200 million over five years, but would take the most accessible source of dangerous radioactive material inside the U.S. "off the table" for terrorists, the panel says.



Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5201505.html

they've come up with yet.

on patients when using the alternative irradiators.

I imagine it would be cheaper and would help bolster existing protection against any disturbances in the hospital and theft of supplies.

chewing on some of his kids lead painted toys.

Be afraid, be very afraid. Then shop till you drop. Come on people, get with the program already!

put it in their pocket and walk out of the facility undetected.

Gimme a break.

Unfortunately, bushco is the kiind of administration that will wait for the first batch of radioactive stuff to be stolen before making any kind of change.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goi%C3%A2nia_accident

:scared: