Decommissioning the Flannery Building for Unrestricted Use

1. 1 Decommissioning the Flannery Building for Unrestricted Use PA Bureau of Radiation Protection I would like to thank the Commission for inviting me to participate in this meeting. I would like to start my presentation with a quick overview of current and completed decommissioning activities in Pennsylvania. (Next Slide)I would like to thank the Commission for inviting me to participate in this meeting. I would like to start my presentation with a quick overview of current and completed decommissioning activities in Pennsylvania. (Next Slide)

2. 2 Pennsylvania Radium History Radium was processed at numerous Pennsylvania sites in the early 1900�s The primary early use of radium was in medicine Standard Chemical Company (SCC) was founded in Canonsburg, PA to make sufficient quantities of radium readily available for medical treatments Radium production and utilization began in Pennsylvania relatively soon after it�s discovery by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. Standard Chemical Company was formed in 1911. (Next Slide) Radium production and utilization began in Pennsylvania relatively soon after it�s discovery by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. Standard Chemical Company was formed in 1911. (Next Slide)

3. 3 �Flannery Building� History Built by Joseph Flannery, president of SCC in 1911 Building constructed of steel frame and masonry, consists of 5 stories, a mezzanine and basement. Approximately 50,000 sq. ft. of floor space. In 1909 Joseph Flannery was informed his sister was afflicted with cancer that might be treatable with radium but learned it was not readily available. This was the primary reason he founded Standard Chemical Company and built this facility. The building is known as either the �Flannery Building� or the �Vanadium Building�. An estimated 180 grams of radium-226 was refined at this facility. It is documented in newspaper articles that Marie Curie visited facility in 1921. Belgium began large scale radium production in 1923 using a high grade ore that drove down the price of radium and forced the shut down of Standard Chemical Company. The building changed hands many times after liquidation of Standard Chemical Company in 1933. (Next Slide) In 1909 Joseph Flannery was informed his sister was afflicted with cancer that might be treatable with radium but learned it was not readily available. This was the primary reason he founded Standard Chemical Company and built this facility. The building is known as either the �Flannery Building� or the �Vanadium Building�. An estimated 180 grams of radium-226 was refined at this facility. It is documented in newspaper articles that Marie Curie visited facility in 1921. Belgium began large scale radium production in 1923 using a high grade ore that drove down the price of radium and forced the shut down of Standard Chemical Company. The building changed hands many times after liquidation of Standard Chemical Company in 1933. (Next Slide)

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