You’ve made the decision to upgrade to the latest X-ray scanner technology, but now what do you do with the previous system? What are the regulations that apply to its disposal? Can it be recycled? And that’s without factoring in the not inconsiderable costs involved.

This blog takes a look at the things you need to know to dispose of your old equipment safely and legally, and how Todd Research can help. To make life easier still, we’ve launched a scrappage scheme, running from now until January the 31st 2023, that offers discounts of up to £2,000 when you purchase a new scanner, with free disposal of your old system.*

Traceable from production to disassembly

X-ray scanners are subject to the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017 (IRR17), which means that the equipment must be registered at its site of use, and cradle-to-grave documentation must be available for inspection on request. Each individual scanner is issued with a manufacturer’s test sheet, which is provided to the customer at the time of purchase. This must be kept alongside the records of installation, servicing and maintenance throughout the instrument’s lifetime. Once a scanner reaches the end of its useful lifespan, it must be disposed of in compliance with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations, and a WEEE certificate issued by the company responsible for disposal. This package of documentation must be produced on demand from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Recycling – the ethical route to disposal

Typically, a scanner in regular use will need replacing after about six to eight years, either because the efficiency and image quality have decreased over time, or to upgrade and keep up to date with the latest technology and innovations. Fortunately, most of the components of superseded equipment can be recycled when it reaches the end of its working life. Once the X-ray generator has been removed and the oil within it drained, the various metal components, which include hard steel, lead and aluminium, can be recycled. There is no risk of radiation exposure during this process as the X-ray generator is not a live source.

The latest technology at a lower cost

Ethical disposal of an X-ray machine is costly. The scanner must first be collected from the installation site, potentially costing several hundred pounds, then disassembled by specialists ready for recycling. To help address this issue while protecting the environment, we’ve introduced a scrappage scheme for customers upgrading to a new scanner. Invest in the latest technology before the 31st of January 2023, and we’ll not only give you a discount of up to £2,000 off the price of a new scanner, but also take your old equipment away for safe, regulatory-compliant disposal and issue a certificate of Safe Disposal free of charge! As if that’s not enough, we’ll include one free place on either our instructor-led or online suspect package training course, as well as free Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) training for one person, saving you up to £4,000 in total.

There’ll never be a better time to upgrade, so why wait? Let us make life easy for you. Contact us now to see how you could benefit from our scrappage scheme.