Guys in white suits in Newcastle

Amik · 19-06-2011 3:13pm #1

I deleted the photo form my phone by accident, but saw some guys with white suits like they wear in labs walking around with some sort of detectors (long pole + backpack) throughout my neighbourhood last week. Any clue what they could have been doing?

CrackisWhack · 19-06-2011 3:16pm

probably guys spraying weeds

Amik · 19-06-2011 3:24pm

No, backpack was too small and they were walking all over the neighbourhood. They seemed confined to the sidewalk and road.

LadyMayBelle · 19-06-2011 3:47pm

Ghostbusters?

Timfy · 19-06-2011 3:58pm

Possibly methane detectors?

Was this near an area that was built on old landfill or peat bog?

Back in the late 80's I worked for a landfill research company and one of our contracts was to go around estates, warehouses etc that had been built on reclaimed land to ensure there was no significant methane production and if there was, advise on how to vent it. Several big companies actually harnessed it and fired generators from the methane.

The handheld probes, which were similar to your description, also doubled up as great fart detectors, much hilarity in the back of the van on the way to jobs!!!!!!:D

Amik · 19-06-2011 4:51pm

@Timfy! LOL!

Probe is the right word, they for sure weren't spraying anything. Methane or radon came to mind when I saw them.

Timfy · 19-06-2011 4:56pm

Strangely enough, I was also involved in the radiological industry as well (I look good in a white coat

)... very unlikely to be radon. The detectors for this are small, standalone plastic items. No electronics involved (other than reading them back at the lab) and they are usually put in place for a reasonable length of time. Radon isn't a big deal outside, only in closed off areas such as basements and well sealed houses

Amik · 19-06-2011 5:00pm

OK strange, I'll keep an eye out for these guys and confront them next time I see them. :P

Actually, I saw one of my neighbours talking with one of them, will ask him about them.

Storm 10 · 19-06-2011 6:22pm

Nothing strange about them at all they were spraying weeds, met them in Shantalla during the week and they wore the protective clothes because the weed killer can cause a rash on skin and not good to breathe the fumes either.

Timfy · 19-06-2011 7:08pm

Storm 10 wrote: »

Nothing strange about them at all they were spraying weeds, met them in Shantalla during the week and they wore the protective clothes because the weed killer can cause a rash on skin and not good to breathe the fumes either.

Shame.... trust me when I say you havn't lived until you've farted into a methane detector!!!

Guys in white suits in Newcastle

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