Before you remove an X-ray machine from service, you must first
notify the Texas
Department of State Health Services, Radiation Control
(DSHS) 
(512-834-6688, extension 2245).
After you have notified the DSHS, consider contacting a
commercial X-ray assembler to disable, disassemble, and dispose of
the equipment for you. These companies sell, repair, purchase, and
dispose of X-ray equipment. They can be found in any Yellow Pages
under “X-ray equipment suppliers” or “X-ray
equipment repair.”
To dispose of X-ray equipment properly, you must follow these
steps:
- Disable the unit.
- Check the components for PCBs.
- Dispose of the components properly.
Disabling the Unit
Do not smash the X-ray tube. The X-ray tube is
under vacuum. If you break it, you might be injured by flying glass
fragments.
To disable an X-ray unit:
- Remove the head from the unit.
- If the unit has an electric cord, cut the cord off.
Checking Components for PCBs
If your X-ray system was manufactured before 1979, then the
transformers and capacitors in it might contain oil made with
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Before disposing of these
machines, you (the owner) must have them tested for PCB
content.
The concentration of PCBs detected in the analysis will
determine your options for disposing of each component. For
guidance in disposing of PCB wastes in Texas, see Polychlorinated
Biphenyl (PCB) Wastes: Disposal and Recycling.
Disposing of Disassembled X-Ray Units
The components of most X-ray units may be disposed of in a
municipal landfill. You should contact your local waste management
contractor to make sure they will accept the unit. You may wish to
sell the metal components for scrap.
For more information about properly managing solid waste, see
our Web page on Municipal Solid
Waste.
If you have further questions concerning the testing or disposal
of PCBs, call:
- the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region VI
office (214-665-7579)
- the EPA’s PCB Hot Line (202-554-1404)
–or–
- the EPA’s PCB office in Washington (202-566-0512)
or go to the EPA’s PCB Web
page .
Contact us if you
have any questions.
