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Tuesday, April 26th, 2016

‘Catastrophic Leak’ Found at Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington State

Author:    
Source:     Alternet (U.S.)
Publication Date:     April 25, 2016
 Link: ‘Catastrophic Leak’ Found at Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington State
Stephan:   I wrote about Hanford Nuclear Reservation the other day, in my commentary on the Chernobyl report. As it happens the the next day I found this.  Please take special note of the comment by the Hanford worker that the leaks are occurring in tanks, thought to be the "savior of all saviors." Then remember nuclear waste sites are scattered all over the country. As these installations age they are going to be an unending problem costing billions and billions of dollars. This is a huge problem that only a tiny group of people seem to know is happening.
Hanford Nuclear Reservation where nuclear waste is leaking

Hanford Nuclear Reservation where nuclear waste is leaking

The amount of radioactive waste that has been leaking between the two walls of one of the underground tanks at Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State for several years grew dramatically on Sunday, April 17, with up to 13,000 liters (3,500 gallons) of new waste.

The leak occurred at the double-shell storage known as AY-102, which has been leaking small amounts of nuclear waste since 2011. It is estimated that about 265 liters (70 gallons) of waste leaked from the tank in recent years.

Although it’s unclear exactly how much waste spilled out over the weekend, estimates place the amount at somewhere between 11,300 and 13,200 liters (3,000 and 3,500 gallons).

“This is catastrophic,” Mike Geffre, former Hanford worker who first discovered the leak, told King5 News. “This is probably the biggest event to ever happen in tank farm history. The double-shell tanks were supposed to be the saviors of all saviors (to hold waste safely from people and the environment).”

According to King5 News, after Geffre first discovered the […]

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1 Comment

  1. John Otvos on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 3:53 pm

    Yes, catastrophic is correct Stephan. Here’s yet another update on the real cost of nuclear.
    http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/chornobyl-safe-confinement-1.3548567

    I thank retired NASA physicist James Lovelock for his concept of Gaia but it is more than apparent, that James is dead wrong about nuclear being the saving grace for humanity with respect to climate change. Imagine how many solar panels could have been erected with $2.1 billion CDN for this steel dome.