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10 October 2008

Answer to Question #5929 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Environmental and Background Radiation — Food and the Human Body

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Is there any danger of radiation from stainless steel cookware? My suspicion arises because of a report on your Web site where incidents were mentioned where the recycling stream of steel-recycling plants had been contaminated with radioactive metals. I feel concerned about this and would greatly appreciate your educated opinion.

There is essentially no danger from contaminated stainless steel cookware (unless, of course, someone hits you over the head with a frying pan!). There have been a handful of accidents; however, these have been few and far between and none in recent years. Procedures are in place, too, one being that metal recyclers check recycled metals coming into their plants to be sure that they have not been contaminated by a lost radioactive source. But even if by chance something did slip through, it would be so diluted with clean metal that doses would likely be small and unlikely to cause harm.

Ron Kathren, CHP

Answer posted on 8 November 2006. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.