Ray-Sterilisation Plant

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30736, 28 April 1965, Page 4

Ray-Sterilisation Plant

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 27. A gamma-ray sterilisation plant is to be established at Upper Hutt.

“The plant, which will incorporate one of the latest developments in the application of atomic energy to medical practice, will be used mainly for the sterilisation of pre-packed dressings and disposable surgical supplies such as syringes and transfusion sets,” the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) said today. “The new plant will be operated as a division of Tasman Vaccine Laboratories Ltd. The building of the unit and installation of plant will take about a year. It is expected to be in operation by June, 1966.” Mr Marshall said articles to be sterilised would pass through the plant on a continuous belt. In the sterilising section the articles would be irradiated with penetrating, germ-killing rays from a radioactive cobalt source.

Complete sterilisation would be achieved by the process, whcih left no residual radioactivity in the articles sterilised.

Mr Marshall said the plant was designed to conform with the high international safety

standards set for the protection of operatives and the public. There would be no danger to the public from the plant. The plant would enable more research to be carried out on the sterilisation of food, particularly primary products, by gamma irradiation. Few such plants were so far operating in other countries, said Mr Marshall. Although more were being installed, New Zealand had the opportunity of being one of the leaders in the field.

The proposal had been subjected to close examination by the Health Department and by a number of hospital boards and was supported by medical authorities.