Ines, in Worcester County, Massachusetts, USA we use a gamma sterilization
facility called ISOMEDIX to irradiate AFB contaminated hives with about 2
megarads of cobalt-60 gamma rays.  The local association has been doing this
for years, and it seems to work in cleaning up AFB comb.
 
The cost is about 6-7$ US for a box big enough for a deep or two shalllows,
if we pool our boxes.  We of course kill the infected bees, then run the
boxes, frame, and comb through the gamma cell.  USDA has studied the method
and has found that it works.  Clothing and tools can be sterilized too.
 
The facility near me normally sterilizes milk jugs, band-aids, medical
one-use products, hypodermics and the like.  They are willing to help us out
on a yearly basis.
 
We can irradiate capped honey, but we do not sell it, it is used for feed.
 
Hope this helps, though not everyone has access to a big ccobalt cell!
 
 
 
From:    Ines Kinchen <[log in to unmask]>
 
Brian and I bought some old bee boxes and frames from a retiring beekeeper.
Some of them contained foul brood. The man told us that we would just have to
clean them out and scroch them with a propane torch.
We now read a reference telling us to burn frames (destroy them) which
contained foul brood. What do you think/know? Is one able to reuse/disinfect
old boxes and frames or should we get rid of them?
If we have to get rid of the frames, can we still use the old boxes?
 
We would appreciate all advice
Thank you,
 INES