By: Alexandria Addesso
Although contrary to the beliefs of many governments, residents have a right to know about environmental dangers and possible disasters that would directly affect them because of where they live. This is even more so true when the government is the direct cause of such inevitable occurrences.
In three different metropolitan areas, right outside of major U.S. cities, lay nuclear waste sites that for quite some time have been leaking waste into the local waterways and/or are at risk for Fukushima or possibly Chernobyl-type catastrophes.
The Indian Point nuclear power plant is located in Buchanan, NY just 25 miles outside of New York City. In the past year there have been nine different leaks from the plant containing the radioactive hydrogen isotope tritium, which made its way to the Hudson River. In January a spill during refueling led to a major radiation spike which increased a local groundwater monitoring well to a 65,000 percent increase in radioactivity.
Also located on the east coast, in Biscayne Bay, FL is the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station. A recent study released by Carlos Gimenez, the Mayor of Miami, stated that the waters in the bay contain 215 times as much radioactive tritium than is normally found in ocean water. It is presumed that the leak is coming from the aged canals at the nuclear plant. Not only is this leakage a threat to the drinking water supply of the residents of Dade County, but also highly detrimental to the nearby everglades which is home to the largest coral reef on Earth.
“We’ve had stop gap measures we’ve approved,” said Gimenez. “So far they’ve not proved to be the solution.”
The Bridgeton Landfill in northern St. Louis County, MO, possibly the most devastating site on this list, has suffered from an underground fire since 2010. What makes it even worst is that rather than one landfill there are two basically on the same plot of land. Adjacent to Bridgeton is the West Lake Landfill, where waste from World War II nuclear weapons remain. This waste includes illegally dumped uranium processing residues from 1973. When local residents began reporting “bad odors” in 2012, air samplings were collected that detected unsafe concentrations of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and benzene which is a known carcinogen.
“Sensitive individuals should stay indoors as much as possible, avoid outdoor exercise, and seek medical advice for any acute symptoms,” recommended the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services when landfill odors get bad. Symptoms may include headache, severe nausea, and fatigue as well as nosebleeds, burning in the nose and throat, and aggravated asthma that was reported by local residents.
Yet this is not the most looming fear. What is most worrisome is what could happen if the fire under Bridgeton reaches the nuclear waste at West Lake. According to an Environmental Protective Agency contractor, if the fire reaches the waste radon gas, radioactive dust, and other contaminants could be released into the air as well as contaminate groundwater. Yet explosions are also a possibility.
Although contrary to the beliefs of many governments, residents have a right to know about environmental dangers and possible disasters that would directly affect them because of where they live. This is even more so true when the government is the direct cause of such inevitable occurrences.
In three different metropolitan areas, right outside of major U.S. cities, lay nuclear waste sites that for quite some time have been leaking waste into the local waterways and/or are at risk for Fukushima or possibly Chernobyl-type catastrophes.
The Indian Point nuclear power plant is located in Buchanan, NY just 25 miles outside of New York City. In the past year there have been nine different leaks from the plant containing the radioactive hydrogen isotope tritium, which made its way to the Hudson River. In January a spill during refueling led to a major radiation spike which increased a local groundwater monitoring well to a 65,000 percent increase in radioactivity.
Also located on the east coast, in Biscayne Bay, FL is the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station. A recent study released by Carlos Gimenez, the Mayor of Miami, stated that the waters in the bay contain 215 times as much radioactive tritium than is normally found in ocean water. It is presumed that the leak is coming from the aged canals at the nuclear plant. Not only is this leakage a threat to the drinking water supply of the residents of Dade County, but also highly detrimental to the nearby everglades which is home to the largest coral reef on Earth.
“We’ve had stop gap measures we’ve approved,” said Gimenez. “So far they’ve not proved to be the solution.”
The Bridgeton Landfill in northern St. Louis County, MO, possibly the most devastating site on this list, has suffered from an underground fire since 2010. What makes it even worst is that rather than one landfill there are two basically on the same plot of land. Adjacent to Bridgeton is the West Lake Landfill, where waste from World War II nuclear weapons remain. This waste includes illegally dumped uranium processing residues from 1973. When local residents began reporting “bad odors” in 2012, air samplings were collected that detected unsafe concentrations of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, aldehydes, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and benzene which is a known carcinogen.
“Sensitive individuals should stay indoors as much as possible, avoid outdoor exercise, and seek medical advice for any acute symptoms,” recommended the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services when landfill odors get bad. Symptoms may include headache, severe nausea, and fatigue as well as nosebleeds, burning in the nose and throat, and aggravated asthma that was reported by local residents.
Yet this is not the most looming fear. What is most worrisome is what could happen if the fire under Bridgeton reaches the nuclear waste at West Lake. According to an Environmental Protective Agency contractor, if the fire reaches the waste radon gas, radioactive dust, and other contaminants could be released into the air as well as contaminate groundwater. Yet explosions are also a possibility.
