Contaminated US site faces 'catastrophic' nuclear leak

http://environment.newscientist.com/article/mg19926642.900-contaminated-us-site-faces-catastrophic-nuclear-leak.html ^

[chessplayer]

ONE of "the most contaminated places on Earth" will only get dirtier if the US government doesn't get its act together - clean-up plans are already 19 years behind schedule and not due for completion until 2050.

More than 210 million litres of radioactive and chemical waste are stored in 177 underground tanks at Hanford in Washington State. Most are over 50 years old. Already 67 of the tanks have failed, leaking almost 4 million litres of waste into the ground.

There are now "serious questions about the tanks' long-term viability," says a Government Accountability Office report, which strongly criticises the US Department of Energy for delaying an $8 billion programme to empty the tanks and treat the waste.

[RightWhale]

This is exciting news. Sounds like somebody is either an enviro or trying to attract funding.

[Roccus]

...and now it starts. Nuclear power is finally getting a serious second look, and you can bet your bippy these type stories will only increase. Not to mention re-runs of “The China Syndrom” and The History Channel’s series on Chernobyl.

[steve86]

I’m sitting 20 miles from the worst site and my geiger counter isn’t registering anything*

*Other than background radiation.

[K-oneTexas]

 

 http://www.insc.anl.gov/pwrmaps/map/north_america.php

[Uriah_lost]

Oh no! We’re all gonna die!!!

[Jo Nuvark]

50 years after nuking the Bikini Islands they
are virtually “pristine”. What’s different about
nuclear waste?

Fifty years after atomic bombs rocked Bikini Atoll
and pulverized its coral reef, the lagoon again boasts
a flourishing coral community.

http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0526-dance_bikini.html

Coral flourishing at Bikini Atoll atomic test site.
Huge reefs inside crater...,

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24132798/

[JimRed]

More people have died in Ted Kennedy’s car than in all the U.S. nuclear accidents combined.

[Roccus]

Just hitting the NY/NE area....quite a few are permenantly shut down. Decades ago we had the answer to this energy mess but let it slip through our fingers. I do not envy the young at all.

[EggsAckley]

"More people have died in Ted Kennedy’s car than in all the U.S. nuclear accidents combined."

Well worth repeating.

[El Gato]

What you want to bet these are some of the same people who’ve been filing suit after suit to delay the Yucca Moutain Long Term (I mean Really long, thousands of years) Repository Site?

[RightWhale]

Nuclear waste is a lot of things. Might be that by the pound most of it is junk that got irradiated slightly such as clothing, mops, insulation, water, bulky stuff that wouldn’t be radioactive normally. Used fuel rods, partly used and still hot but not hot enough for the reactor would be some that needs special handling.

[RightWhale]

Not much doubt about that.

[Spunky]

The Enviro's are at it again. I have lived here for many, many, years and NO ONE WHO LIVES HERE IS AFRAID. I like to think I have a little glow about me though. :-) Also Benton and Franklin County are among the top fastest growing in the nation.

Pasco Fastest Growing

[El Gato]

Even the areas contaminated by the much more recent Chernobyl disaster have bounced back. While still off limits to people, mostly, the animals and plants are thriving.

[reformedliberal]

According to the map, we live within a few miles of one site (Genoa, WI was an experiementsl plant closed long ago) and within another 50 miles of a slew of waste sites. I have lived here 34 years, am over 65, know many folks in their 80s and beyond and I believe the cancer rates here are normal. I haven’t heard of any 3-eyed fish in the Mississippi, either.

Our county boasts that it has the largest number of organic farms in the country. Organic Valley and many of its member farms are here. They are more concerned about fly ash from the coal fired plant than about nuclear waste, AFAIK. I had better check that out, though. For all I know, they are screaming about Genoa, or will be when they get the latest DNC fax.

[Bob]

More people have died in Ted Kennedy’s car than in all the U.S. nuclear accidents combined.

I believe that there was a research reactor accident quite some time ago which killed three operators. (Sorry, I'm a bit hazy on the details.)

[norwaypinesavage]

Four million liters? Why that's Four Trillion cc's.

[dr huer]

Four billion!

[xDGx]

Correct. Three were killed in the SL-1 accident in Idaho (1961). There is some debate on whether it was an accident or deliberate act (one operator manually pulled out one of the control rods, triggering the event.

As for the rest, the sooner they get Yucca Mountain online, the faster they can put high level waste in proper very-long term storage. GAO should mention all the people who have done everything in their power to block Yucca Mountain.