Gov’t: “Alarming” release of radioactivity from US nuclear site — AP: “Uncontrolled spread of contamination” — Official: Contains “high levels of radioactive isotopes” (VIDEO)

– Gov’t: “Alarming” release of radioactivity from US nuclear site — AP: “Uncontrolled spread of contamination” — Official: Contains “high levels of radioactive isotopes” (VIDEO):

Tri-City Herald, Feb 21, 2016 (emphasis added): The Environmental Protection Agency has called the uncontrolled spread of small amounts of radioactive waste at Hanford “alarming” after a Nov. 17 windstorm. Surveys six miles north of Richland after the winds subsided found specks of contamination… The waste came from research and uranium fuel fabrication work… [W]inds were worse than usual… and Hanford officials knew they were going to have issues… “Washington Closure Hanford went out and started surveying to understand how far the contamination had spread,” said Stacy Charboneau, manager of the DOE Richland Operations Office… The waste had high levels of radioactive isotopes that grout does not bind well, said Dennis Faulk, EPA Hanford program manager.

AP, Feb 22, 2016: Radiation blown onto highway at Hanford ‘alarming’ to EPA – [EPA] says the uncontrolled spread of small amounts of radioactive waste at Hanford after a Nov. 17 windstorm is alarming. The winds pushed specks of contamination beyond Route 4, the public highway… EPA in a letter says the uncontrolled spread of contamination “is a matter that is alarming to EPA and requires further investigation and discussion.” It has given the Energy Department until the third week of April to prepare a report on its loss of control of radioactive material.

AP, Feb 22, 2016: [EPA] says the uncontrolled spread of small amounts of radioactive waste at Hanford after a Nov. 17 windstorm is alarming… [The site] made plutonium for nuclear weapons [and] had problems with previous contamination spread from the 618-10 Burial Ground as early as summer 2014… The waste came from research and uranium fuel fabrication…

KREM transcript, Feb 22, 2016: November’s wind storm spread radioactive waste from Hanford past a nearby highway. The EPA calls the situation alarming — they say small specks of debris spread past Route 4… [The EPA] has given the Energy Department until the third week of April to prepare a report on the radioactive material that spread.

Watch KREM’s broadcast here

* * *

PayPal: Donate in USD
PayPal: Donate in EUR
PayPal: Donate in GBP