Atomic Waste Mishandled, Records Show

[WhiteTara]

Okay, this ought to give you nightmares. The mafia is at it again.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/national/07nuke.html
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 - The operator of a Florida nuclear plant appears to have shipped radioactive waste to ordinary landfills, municipal sewage treatment plants and some unknown locations in the 1970's and early 80's, according to internal documents and government records obtained in lawsuits.
snip
Plant workers used a sink to wash mops, rags and other heavily contaminated materials, believing that the drain was connected to the plant's radioactive waste system, but instead it drained into a sanitary sewage system, according to the documents. The contaminants were then hauled away with sludge. According to documents cited by the plaintiffs, at one point the plant in St. Lucie County was shipping to regular landfills materials that were 10 times as radioactive as what it was shipping to a low-level waste dump.
snip
According to documents obtained by the plaintiffs, however, a week after the cleanup was completed at a dump site the company found contamination at a level 20 times what was proposed by the State of Florida, and thousands of times higher than what the Environmental Protection Agency allowed for agricultural land; the surrounding area is used for cattle and citrus.
snip
The parents' lawyer, Nancy La Vista, said she planned to argue that tests of the boys' baby teeth showed abnormally high levels of radioactive strontium, which is produced when atoms are split and that when ingested binds to human bones. Older people have strontium in their bones that was created from atmospheric nuclear testing. But, Ms. La Vista said, "These kids were all born after Chernobyl, after Three Mile Island, and after atmospheric testing."

and I'll bet they got sort of bonus for being so efficient in dumping without anyone seeing what they did
:grr:

[SupplySideLiberal]

1. Sickening (literally)

Pres. Bush's "solution" to high gas prices relies heavily on big increases in nuclear power. This article is the argument against that, and this kind of danger is never addressed, much less refuted by the administration.

It does give me nightmares.

[WhiteTara]

5. I know. It is one long fight that never seems to end

and I am glad to have this forum and each other. Welcome to DU SupplySideLiberal :hi:

[SupplySideLiberal]

12. Thanks for the welcome, barenaked!

I appreciate the welcome, as I attracted a storm of obscenities with my first posts several months ago lol

I've been mostly lurking, but I do enjoy the good hearted people here.

[Lindacooks]

2. Gee, what a surprise.

NOT.

This is only one reason why I'm against nuclear power. We have to trust these corporations to do the right thing. And when is the last time a corporation voluntarily did the right thing?? The 1970s movie 'Heaven Can Wait' doesn't count.

[wli]

3. no surprise

Bushler, Cheney, Rummy, et al don't have to live downstream from this crap.

[mbperrin]

4. No shit.

And now they're dumping waste from failed waste sites into a big plastic bag over our water supply in Andrews, Texas.

Don't worry - what could go wrong????:crazy:

[lateo]

6. Homer Simpson unavailable for comment...

LOL

[BedRock]

7. Not good!

I worked at a nuclear power station for over 15 years and I can assure you that what has happened is pure inept. It appears there was a drain on the "hot side" that discharged to the "cold side" and was never rerouted or closed off. Probably no one ever noticed it on the original plans....amazing! Total bull shit and heads should roll.

If anything leaves the plant itself, it should be carefully frisked and monitored before it leaves the secured area. Also if sludge is removed from outside the clean gate...it was pure sloppiness NOT to check for radiation. Morons!

And how do I feel about nuc. power. For the most part, I am against it. I have seen upper management bend to the corporate levels to speed up, cut back, to the minimum. This could impact safety. But the NRC and other monitoring organizations keep the pressure on companies to keep it between the white lines.

Now, if you really want to be concerned.....the government owned and operated nuclear reactors/plants are NOT regulated by the NRC. They have their "own" monitoring/review and regulations. And we know how the government works.

[WhiteTara]

8. Thanks Bedrock, that really scared me!

welcome to DU :hi:

[BedRock]

9. One more thing!

I just finished watching "Indian Point" a documentary on HBO.

This was an EXCELLENT report! Although I may not be supportive of nuclear power, it really pisses me off when spin is applied to scare or garner support. Just the damn facts and let me use my own brain, thankyouverymuch.

Watch this if you can. And if you don't have HBO or On Demand...beg steel or borrow a copy and watch it. This was very well done, and it demonstrates the concerns of protecting our nuclear power stations (and chemical plants) from accident or terrorists. (btw, I am sick to death of "terrorism" but I also believe in preventative measures.) I think this is something everyone should be aware of.

[Canuckistanian]

10. I know where they can dump it...

There's a ranch in Crawford, TX.... Since nuclear waste is not dangerous or anything.

[MissMarple]

11. Now tell me, what is wrong with Florida?

Florida is always in the news for some new outrageous thing. And they don't seem to be directly linked.