New York Consolidated Laws, Public Health Law - PBH § 1360. Location and disposition of radioactive gold jewelry

1. The commissioner is hereby authorized and directed to establish a program, which shall include the use of such investigations and personnel as may be necessary, to identify gold jewelry which has been contaminated by radioactive material which is, or may be, possessed by residents of this state. Such program shall be publicized by the commissioner, as may be practicable, to encourage residents to have such suspected radioactive gold jewelry tested free of charge, except that jewelers, manufacturers or distributors of gold jewelry may be charged a reasonable fee for the cost of such tests, as determined by the commissioner.

2. Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of law, in any case where such gold jewelry is so identified as radioactive, the commissioner is hereby authorized and empowered to purchase from a resident on behalf of the state such radioactive gold jewelry presented by such resident at the commercial value of the gold content of the radioactive gold jewelry, upon such terms and conditions as the commissioner deems necessary and proper, and within the amount appropriated by the legislature for this purpose.

3. Any such gold jewelry, purchased pursuant to the provisions of this section, shall be held decontaminated or disposed of in such a manner as shall be determined necessary and proper by the commissioner which disposition, however, may include, but not be limited to, the destruction thereof.

4. Any person, firm, association or corporation who learns that they possess radioactive gold jewelry shall immediately notify the commissioner or his designee of the existence of such radioactive gold jewelry.