CFM,

You need not worry about radioisotopes in your lead. However, don't forget that lead itself is highly toxic. I'd bet that if they measured lead levels in people, fishermen would have by far and away the higher levels than the general public (at least in the USA).

We work with radioisotopes in the lab all the time. They ship radioactive 32P, 35S, 14C in lead pigs that weight about a pound.
These isotopes emit beta radiation (free electrons). Lead blocks beta emmissions, but does not become radioactive in the process.

The only way for the lead pigs to become contaminated is to have radioisope spilled on them. When that happens, they are disposed of as radioactive waste.

Putting a radioactive pig into the recycle would be a flagrant infraction of the radioactivity rules and would get you shut down by the NRC (nuclear regulatory commission), no hospital can afford have their radio isotpoe licesnse pullled-so enforcement is very strict. The NRC doesn't mess around, violators are not tolerated. At all.

Hope that helps.

Geoduck

PS. CFM I'm suprised you even believe in radiation,you can't see it. the only people that have ever detected it are scientists. Maybe radiation is a BS science conspiracy?


Cedar River,

Yes I agree there will be an environmental price to pay with all the lead we use. Look at the swans in whatcom co. Remeber, 100 years ago nobody thought mercury was a problem. Boy, where they wrong about that. I think all the solid lead we fishermen put out there could become a problem of similar magnitude to the lead shot problem if not worse.

If there was a viable non-lead alternative I would use it.