A new study suggests radon is leaving the West Lake Landfill and leaving small traces of its radioactive lead byproduct nearby.
The authors of the study, published in the peer-reviewed “Journal of Environmental Radioactivity,” found levels of the radioactive isotope lead-210, a daughter of radon, that they say can’t be attributed to natural radioactive decay.
“Levels of (lead-210) in key samples were well above background activities, and were significantly out of secular equilibrium with other members of the uranium decay chain,” the authors wrote. “This is strong evidence that the (lead-210) originated by decay of short-lived, fugitive radon gas that escaped the landfill.”
The Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees the Bridgeton landfill contaminated with nuclear processing waste, has said radon gas is emitted from the landfill at higher levels because of the waste there. The new study suggests at least trace amounts of it are showing up beyond the fence that keeps the public out of the long-contaminated landfill.
Kaltofen […]
What’s even more interesting is the effects that are reported and then not long after fade away. i.e. the 400% spike in birth defects in 2014 http://nsnbc.me/2014/04/24/400-spike-in-rare-birth-defects-near-leaking-hanford-nuclear-site/ Families living in the area continue to report multi generational cancer that began in the mid-40s with the Downwinders who were never warned. Local dairy farmers attest to nuclear affects on their cows; defects, deformities, etc. This is consistent with in depth reports on affects on wildlife; birds, fish and amphibians.
I believe it’s the 60Bn dollar clean up cost that continues to rise with each year of neglect or, as in 2015 costly mistakes in containment construction, is part of what delays this project. The Oregon/Washington chapters of Physicians for Social Responsibility must be commended for their ongoing work that spans years of research, reports and lobbying for citizens and their families who continue to suffer due to Hanford.