January 24, 1984

MONTREAL (CUP) -— Cafeteria trays used in bac- teria and radiation research are back in circulation at Concordia University, after cafeteria workers indiscrimi- nately swept the downtown campus for wayward trays.

The workers took the trays from areas marked “author- ized personnel only” and from at least one room with

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a radioactive warning sticker on the door. ‘

One university researcher who asked his name not be used, said the trays, which students are now eating off, were being used for “drug research, in labs where radio- active chemicals were in use, and biochemistry labs that were using them for mutating cultIires on.

“They use them not only for radioactive things but they could also be used for carcinogens and a lot of plastic soluble substances that becomes part of the tray,” the researcher said.

Robert Roy, Concordia’s acting vice-rector academic, says the cafeteria’s dish- washers can make the con- tarninated trays safe for

unclear trays confiscated at, Concordia

regular use.

Roy said the situation “disturbed” him. “No one should be eating off things that have been used in the lab,” he said.

“It’s conceivable that some things that get into the plastic were used._ But something that’s in plastic is probably going to stay there. The truth of, the matter is we’re exposed

to many things in the pack- aging and processing of food,” he said.

The trays found their way into the labs when researchers used them to bring in food. Roy said he tried to provide dining facilities to discourage graduate students from eating in labs, but was not successful.

Bill Tageau, Saga foods manager at Concordia’s downtown campus, blamed the problem on the re-

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searchers.

“It’s unprofessional on their part,” Tageau said. “if we went into their labs and took their stuff they’d come down here and raise hell.”

Tray search tactics at Concordia are draconian. The search which put the radioactive trays into circu- lation happened early one Sunday morning, and there have been skirmishes ovei Saga staff going into re search labs at other times.

es with amount smoked — avoid inhaling. Average per Cigarette — ze “tar” 10.0 mg., nicotine 0.8 mg. ng Size “tar” 9.0 mg., nicotine 0.8 mg.