Fire codes require that exit signs be placed in all appropriate locations in every hotel in the United States. Many of these signs are electrically powered, but in situations where it would be too expensive to run electrical lines, other means must be used to ensure the signs are visible in the dark.
Batteries power some of these signs, but overall, the most reliable have relied on tritium to create a glowing sign in the dark. Some new innovations are gradually replacing some tritium signs, but most organizations still rely on their proven effectiveness.
However, using a tritium exit sign does come with certain responsibilities. They are considered safe for use by the U.S. government, but if they are damaged, the room must be cleared for around 10 minutes, after which they should be immediately removed. They also have to be properly recycled at the end of their usable lifetime. TechWaste has kits that they’ll send to anyone needing tritium sign recycling.
Tritium Harnesses the Decay of Hydrogen to Produce Light
Tritium is a rare radioactive isotope of hydrogen. It’s self-contained inside a glass tube that’s coated with phosphorus. The glass tube is made of borosilicate, a type of glass that’s resistant to breakage. Inside the tube, it undergoes natural beta decay, which shoots a hyper-fast piece of the hydrogen atom into the phosphorus, causing it to glow. Various materials can be used to produce different colors, although green tends to be the brightest.
Tritium Is a Generally Safe Way to Provide Light at Night
Before tritium, radium was used to provide low-intensity radioactive night lighting. However, radium is a dangerous substance and any exposure to it at all is considered unhealthy. Tritium is a far safer means of providing light. It has a very short biological half-life of 12 days, a sheet of paper is thick enough to stop the radiation, and even brief, direct exposure to small amounts is considered mostly harmless.
Tritium is widely used by the military for compasses and gunsights and is found in modern novelty glow-in-the-dark keychains. If the glass tube isn’t tampered with and is disposed of properly, it’s a safe means of self-luminescence.
Tritium Exit Signs Are Regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
While the intact signs are safe, they are strictly forbidden from being put in the trash. If they are damaged, they will emit the tritium, and if someone isn’t aware of the radioactive nature, they could conceivably get an unhealthy dose of radiation. Users of these exit signs are called “general licensees” by the USNRC, which requires that any organization with tritium exit signs designate a specific person to be responsible for ensuring that the signs meet all regulations.
Tritium signs will eventually wear out, with lifespans usually designated as 10, 20 or 30 years. Once they have reached their end of life, they must be responsibly recycled – the penalties for throwing away old or damaged signs can be very severe. TechWaste has simple recycling kits available for tritium exit signs, as well as light bulbs that contain mercury, batteries and all sorts of other potentially hazardous materials. They also have representatives available by phone to answer any questions about a company’s recycling responsibilities.
TechWaste Recycling directly services all of Southern California and provides pickup services to its facilities from nationwide locations. Visit TechWaste Recycling’s website at www.techwasterecycling.com to schedule a pickup that works for your convenience and schedule.
Learn more about TechWaste’s secure recycling process here: Secure Recycling Process
Contact Info:
Richard Steffens
1940 E. Occidental street
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Phone: 866-637-8469
