Was over there and they were talking about a private company being hired by the US to reprocess radioactive nickel so that it can be used, among other things, to create zippers.

Now I understand the apprehension to all of this, having a potentially lethal substance with potentially lethal proximity to a potentially important body part.

Unless you do it in a process call vitrification. I don't know the exact process, but I think they melt the radioactive material to such high temperatures so that they can separate the radioactive portions from the non-radioactive portions of the nickel. The non-radioactive portions (which would theoretically be safe) are then processed for consumer use. The radioactive particles meanwhile, are frozen in glass. THESE in turn are buried in whatever place they may be.

Theoretically, the metal that comes out of this should still be good and relatively harmless. Of course, you can decide to play it safe. No one really knows if the stuff can be truly safe. Of course, if there ARE bits of radioactivity there, rest assured it won't do a thing.

One other thing: The Japanese use this process to recycle their spent uranium. Of course, some of you may have heard of an accident involving this process......

(If someone would point this out to SFA, then fine. I'm hesitant to post over there.)

------------------
"I've never seen anything this beautiful in the entire galaxy. Alright, give me the bomb" -Ultra Magnus, Fight or Flee

No, no, no.. see, the Earth is only 10,000 years old, so radioactive decay is actually much faster that it appears to be, so "Bruce" is in no danger.

------------------
Calvin: "No efficiency, no accountability... I tell you, Hobbes, it's a lousy way to run a Universe." -- Bill Watterson