Radioactive cat poop costs town $2,000.00

Brockton Enterprise ^ | 5 September 2008 | Paula M. Donnelly

[Radix]

WEST BRIDGEWATER — No, it isn’t a scene out of “The Simpsons” — the town of West Bridgewater has been charged $2,000 for radioactive kitty litter found in a trash Dumpster.

A trash bag filled with the contaminated litter was discovered during a scan for radioactive material at the SEMASS waste facility in Rochester.

It is believed to have come from a West Bridgewater cat receiving radiology treatment for cancer whose owner neglected to properly dispose of the litter.

The scans for radioactive material became mandatory for SEMASS after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Brian Adams, a spokesman for the MSPCA–Angels of Boston, said many veterinarian oncologists will allow an animal to remain at the hospital until it tests clean for radioactivity.

Some pet owners choose to take their animals home, he said, but are given explicit directions on how to deal with the waste.

To handle the cat litter properly, the owner should have placed the contaminated material in an unoccupied section of the house for 80 days — until the substance was deemed not hazardous.

[Radix]

I always knew that cats are dangerous.

[Wiseghy]

Ummm...are they now scanning regular trash for radioactivity?

Interesting implications if true.

[rabscuttle385]

No, it isn’t a scene out of “The Simpsons” — the town of West Bridgewater has been charged $2,000 for radioactive kitty litter found in a trash Dumpster.

But was it radioactive Viking kitty litter?

=P

[MarineBrat]

[HAL9000]

On a more serious note -

Dutch medical isotopes unavailable until end of October, company says

Cancer patients in Europe, and possibly worldwide, may face a longer wait for diagnostic tests and treatments as a nuclear reactor in the Netherlands that supplies medical isotopes extended its shutdown for potential safety reasons.

... ...

[magslinger]

But was it radioactive Viking kitty litter?

All Viking kitty litter is radioactive. Interesting side effect of farting lightning.

[doc1019]

Just what the world needs, poop that glows in the dark. ;-(

[6SJ7]

Check out these glow in the dark cats created by Korean researchers.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

oic

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Yikes! And I thought cleaning our cat box was a nasty chore to begin with, let alone dealing with radioactive poop!

Pssssst. I love mine, but they’re JUST cats! No need to put them through that; we will NEVER run out of cats. Trust me on that. Do you need a cat because yours is near death? I can get you a new one. For free! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I read elsewhere today that it costs $16,400.00 on average to have a pet dog from puppy to age 11.

My dogs should be VERY glad that I’ve never added it up!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Linky no worky. But, I prefer to paint my cats, anyway:

[martin_fierro]

O HAI

[Daffynition]

O HAI ... I USE LITTR 2 BUILD NUCLEAR POWR PLANT ...

... I SOLVE WURLD ENERGY PROBLEMZ

[Daffynition]

O HAIHAIHAIHAIHAIHAI ...

[festus]

To handle the cat litter properly, the owner should have placed the contaminated material in an unoccupied section of the house for 80 days — until the substance was deemed not hazardous.

So why not just toss it in the landfill and after 80 days there it is harmless as well ? I just don't get the hysteria.

[Slings and Arrows]

Lazor kittehs have radioactive poop?

---

[LucyT]

So why not just toss it in the landfill and after 80 days there it is harmless as well ?

There ya go, using common sense again.

[supercat]

So why not just toss it in the landfill and after 80 days there it is harmless as well ?

I suspect the issue is that unless one takes periodic measurements of radioactivity over a period of time or has a priori knowledge of what exact isotopes are involved, it isn't possible to tell whether the radiation will fall sufficiently within 80 days or even 80 years.

[Danae]

"the owner should have placed the contaminated material in an unoccupied section of the house for 80 days — until the substance was deemed not hazardous.

This mean I have to store my kitty litter for 90 days................... uhhhhhh Wait, why they scanning trash for Radioactivity? WTF is this story doing being published? Isn't that telling a little more than we might want terrorists to know? Damn it, store kitty litter for 80 days. Then what am I supposed to do with it?