Concrete ‘Coffin’ Storing U.S. Atomic Bomb Waste At Risk Of Rupture

So wait a minute, is the sea rising, or is the island sinking? Either way reselling the dome would be the best solution to this situation. I have some reservations about any report coming out of Columbia University's "The Earth Institute" since CU has a huge history of going for political gains over facts.

This report comes across as more of a typical; "America is Bad" thing then it does with noting solutions or even stressing the importance keeping the world at peace (something that as head of the UN, Guterres, should have latched on to as a point of discussion) These nuclear waste sites are all in bad condition, here in Washington State we have a bomb that's slowly going off as we speak with the Hanford site, but shouldn't these places have been looked at better by everyone involved? I like how everyone is quick to point fingers at the US but at the time they sure were happy that these tests were being done by the US.


Like the old saying goes: "Everybody's your friend, until the tax man comes"

a reply to: rickymouse

Certainly. But once again you point out how it is man who misuses science to the detriment of our species and once again I ask you is it that far of a leap to think that human misuse of scientific and technology has polluted our environment to such a degree that it has not only effected our atmosphere, our oceans our crops but the climate as well?

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
a reply to: rickymouse

Certainly. But once again you point out how it is man who misuses science to the detriment of our species and once again I ask you is it that far of a leap to think that human misuse of scientific and technology has polluted our environment to such a degree that it has not only effected our atmosphere, our oceans our crops but the climate as well?

So, how do you ban science use by people who profit by exploiting it use when they are the ones who utilize it the most. You will pay for something that benefits you, and try to suppress that which goes against what you want. Even the climate change people suppress what does not agree with their beliefs, they misuse science just as much as anyone does.

a reply to: Guyfriday

The crater is unlined and it's been filled with contaminated material with a concrete lid placed over the top. The trouble is that the bottom of the pit is, and always was, below sea level so the radioactive waste can leach out into the ocean even if the lid remained intact.

Cracks are probably not making a bad situation much worse than it is already.

a reply to: LtFluffyCakes96

Yes there is another large storage even bigger in New Mexico,wonder what happens when a large quake hits,at least island is away from most humans

originally posted by: Pilgrum
a reply to: Guyfriday

The crater is unlined and it's been filled with contaminated material with a concrete lid placed over the top. The trouble is that the bottom of the pit is, and always was, below sea level so the radioactive waste can leach out into the ocean even if the lid remained intact.

Cracks are probably not making a bad situation much worse than it is already.

I agree there is no way this hasn't been leaking for decades. Without ground water containment radioactive material has been leaching from the site since they created it. Luckily it's secluded and when compared to the ocean volume hardly significant

originally posted by: rickymouse

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
a reply to: rickymouse

Indeed. Our scientific development and lack of concern for it's negative impact on the environment has and is doing severe damage to the planet. Do you think it possible that that science has had an impact to the degree of changing climate as well?

For me it is not unreasonable to consider that the extent to which mans scientific advances (?) have reached this point.
You?

Science created the power plants, science created street lights which burn all night long taking juice. Science created big machinery that big industry uses, it also created all the bad chemicals dumped into our oceans. Science created a way for more people to overpopulate the world, but it is our wants, not our needs, that is the problem. Science created chainsaws and cars. It created plastic and it's use made Oil wells possible. It created cheap air travel.

I would argue that it is Engineers who created most of those things. Scientists may have discovered things but Engineers put those discoveries to use.

originally posted by: RexKramerPRT

originally posted by: rickymouse

originally posted by: TerryMcGuire
a reply to: rickymouse

Indeed. Our scientific development and lack of concern for it's negative impact on the environment has and is doing severe damage to the planet. Do you think it possible that that science has had an impact to the degree of changing climate as well?

For me it is not unreasonable to consider that the extent to which mans scientific advances (?) have reached this point.
You?

Science created the power plants, science created street lights which burn all night long taking juice. Science created big machinery that big industry uses, it also created all the bad chemicals dumped into our oceans. Science created a way for more people to overpopulate the world, but it is our wants, not our needs, that is the problem. Science created chainsaws and cars. It created plastic and it's use made Oil wells possible. It created cheap air travel.

I would argue that it is Engineers who created most of those things. Scientists may have discovered things but Engineers put those discoveries to use.

Well: by that logic: should we not blame the workers whom built it with their hands and tools?

What about the folks whom made the tools?
The miners extracting the building elements?

What ever becomes of endless finger-pointing?

A circle of ignorant hairless apes, pointing at each-other, while their (our), village burns in the background.

a reply to: LtFluffyCakes96

Thank you for posting this. It is very important and not getting enough attention for a number of reasons in the air, print or virtual media.

It's particularly disturbing to me that in order for the islanders to achieve independence from the US they had to agree to taking over responsibility for this clearly US mess. They do not have the resources to cope with this unfolding tragedy - just another day in nuke land.

No - in this instance - the US alone is responsible.

originally posted by: network dude

originally posted by: LtFluffyCakes96


A 2013 report by the Energy Department admitted that radioactive material may have already begun to leak from the dome, but it said the health risks were "probably low".

it will "probably" not be an issue at all. Much like Fukashima. The Ocean is a big place, just think parts per million. See, don't you feel better now? A little pollution isn't really a big deal....is is?

I can understand being afraid to look at reality, it's a scary place. Please find your courage.

In the 70's the ocean was hailed as the new frontier - a vast resource for a humanity that had despoiled the Earth. You never hear this any more. In fact, you hear very little about the oceans, because we are killing them.

Plastics, radioactive waste, oil and gas pollution, chemical pollution in the fresh water runoff into the sea. Then there is global warming, melting glaciers, all lowering salinity levels.

Look up "Ocean Dead Zones" . Look up "Plastics in the Oceans". Look up "Heavy metals (and plastics) in the Ocean food change."

Learn something - before just saying something you want to be true.

a reply to: Pilgrum

It’s not clear how this huge problem, literally in the middle of nowhere, gets fixed.

The dome is now under the jurisdiction of the government of the Marshall Islands, and a 1979 agreement between the two governments states that the U.S. is not responsible for any problems that might arise from past nuclear experiments.

However, the Marshall Islands is a small and poor state and doesn’t have the resources to move the dome’s contents to a new, permanent home.

www.popularmechanics.com...

a reply to: FyreByrd

I didn't know they'd disowned the thing as well.
How can the US claim to not be responsible for a deadly mess they alone created in the name of weapons research?

Hanford, Washington.