I inherited my grandfather’s WWII compass, and had it sitting around for a long time on a shelf. I recently got a Geiger counter, and find that it’s radioactive. Around 10 microsieverts/hr. Apparently they used radium paint to make them glow in the dark. I can’t just throw it away, but I don’t want it potentially causing a danger to others in the room. Is there some sort of lead lined box I can put it in, or some kind of prevention I can do? Is there anyone experienced with this sort of thing that can offer some advice?
I don’t think you’d need to do anything too extreme for that low of a level of radiation. If you want to keep it, it should be fine in a drawer in a dry, well-ventilated room. Just don’t hold it bare-handed for extended periods, and don’t somehow swallow a piece of it, and you should be fine. Also wash your hands after handling it, as you may get radioactive particles on your skin. If you’ve got children in your home, it might be a good idea to make sure it’s inaccessible to them, either somewhere they can’t access or somewhere with a lock.
If you’d rather not hang onto it, I believe you can contact the EPA, who can refer you to a local facility that can properly dispose of it for you. Or maybe check out some local groups to see if there are any collectors that would prefer to take it off your hands, as they may be more likely to preserve the piece for you, if it has any sentimental value to you.
It’s a “family heirloom” as my grandfather had it in WWII for the 45th infantry. So I wouldn’t want to dispose of it, but I can see my initial fears may be a bit overblown. I’m keeping it on a shelf in the garage, far away from normal foot traffic. That should be more than sufficient, it sounds.
I definitely used it while camping once, but thankfully no one’s messed with it for decades as we wanted to preserve it. I checked the shelf and there’s no residual radiation where it sits, so I think I’ll just let it be. Everyone in the family is aware that it’s the highest radioactive thing in the house, and that it’s still fairly low.
Thank you for your help!