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What is the ARIA Programme
The programme to Assess and Recover Radioactive Instruments and Articles (ARIA) is operated by the Office of Radiation Safety. ARIA makes expert radiation safety scientists available at no cost who can advise and assist members of the public to manage, store, recycle, and dispose of eligible historic radioactive instruments and articles found in our community.
Through the ARIA programme the Office of Radiation Safety has assessed and recovered hundreds of items from homes and institutions across New Zealand including schools, scrap metal yards, museums, and territorial authorities.
Radioactive material that is possessed under a source licence such as in modern portable nuclear gauges must be repatriated to the country of origin and is not eligible for the ARIA programme.
Common radioactive instruments and articles
The most common radioactive material we deal with through ARIA is radium-based luminescent paint. This was commonly used to illuminate clock dials, compasses, communications equipment, and WWII naval and aircraft instruments, and was phased out in the 1960s. For more historical details on radium use in New Zealand, check out our Radium Information Sheet.
Radioactive material is also commonly discovered by radiation monitors at scrap metal yards. These are large radiation detectors installed at the entrance to the yard to prevent any radioactive material from entering the metal recycling stream. This prevents equipment and products becoming contaminated which can cause significant safety hazards and economic losses. For more information on radioactive material in the scrap metal industry, please refer to our Information Sheet on Radioactive Material in Scrap Metal Recycling.
Other items recovered in the past include:
- Thoriated Camera Lenses: These lenses were commonly found in older cameras and gun sights, where thorium was used to improve the optical properties of the glass.
- Military Hardware: This includes airstrip markers and aircraft dials, which were often made with radium-based paint for visibility in low-light conditions and gaseous tritiated light sources (GTLS) on gun sights.
- Various components such as switches and relays from the electrical grid.
- Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in ceramic products.
- Radioactive material in schools previously used for experiments such as cloud chambers or radioactivity demonstrations, see our information sheet on radioactive material in schools.
Recycling
Some items recovered through ARIA that are in good condition are made available to schools or other institutions for re-use. These sources would typically be modern check sources that have a low enough activity that they are exempt from licensing requirements but are still suitable for radioactivity demonstrations or to verify the function of handheld radiation detectors.
How to Participate in ARIA
Initial phone call: If you suspect that you have an instrument or article that contains radioactive material, contact [email protected] to request an initial phone call with a health physicist to determine whether it is eligible for the ARIA programme.
Request an Assessment: we may ask you to complete the form on our website to request an on-site assessment.
On-Site Visit: If your sources qualify for the programme, an advisor will contact you to arrange an on-site visit.
Preparation for Disposal or Shipping: Our team will prepare the sources for safe disposal or shipping.
