4 ms·

History of contamination on the site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Susana_Field_Laboratory#Accidents_and_site_contamination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

History of contamination on the site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Susana_Field_Laboratory#Accidents_and_site_contamination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Susana_Field_Laboratory#...

tqkxzugoaupvwqr 4y ago
> In an article in the Ventura County Star, James Palmer, a former SSFL worker was interviewed. The article notes that "of the 27 men on Palmer's crew, 22 died of cancers." > A worker disposes of toxic chemicals by blowing up full barrels with a rifle shot (the reaction to the shot caused an explosion). What’s the reasoning behind this? A childish fantasy that the chemicals evaporate into nothing and cease to exist?
- tinus_hn 4y ago
  > What’s the reasoning behind this? A childish fantasy that the chemicals evaporate into nothing and cease to exist? How is it different from a chimney? You’re just blowing waste away from yourself so you don’t have to care about it anymore.
- wcoenen 4y ago
  Pure sodium reacts rather violently with water. It might make sense to remove that hazard by allowing the violent reaction to take place where and when you want it to happen. It would be similar to neutralizing a bomb by blowing it up under controlled conditions. Video of kids throwing sodium in water: https://youtu.be/NTFBXJ3Zd_4 https://youtu.be/NTFBXJ3Zd_4 edit: in this case the sodium was radioactive though, so blowing it up seems... not good.
pvaldes 4y ago
The reckless and insane behavior of the employees looks like cheap TV comedy. Using the break time to fish in ponds with toxic products until the water boils? And then eating the floating fish? And doing that in the same ponds again and again? Wow
- hulitu 4y ago
  Those employees had a managenent. Ah sorry, i thought it is about Volkswagen /s
- mcv 4y ago
  How did anyone allow residential zoning anywhere near that place? Until it's thoroughly cleaned, nobody should be allowed to live anywhere near that place. How was this not cleaned decades ago?
- elliekelly 4y ago
  This is a particularly egregious example (and unusual because it involves DOE) but if you browse the US “Brownfields” Superfund sites[1] you’ll find all kinds of crazy and reckless behavior relating to land contamination. Most of the people carrying out the orders in the 50s, 60s, and 70s just didn’t know any better. But some of the people from the 80s and 90s who did know (or should have known) better just didn’t care. There’s one site in Montana called Yankee Doodle Tailings pond from an old (I think) copper mine and the “pond” is highly contaminated with heavy metals. Every once in a while the Montana Fish & Wildlife will frantically try to alert residents who hunt not to eat any $bird they might have killed recently because a mass die-off means the flock stopped at the “pond” and was poisoned. [1]https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites

History of contamination on the site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Susana_Field_Laboratory#Accidents_and_site_contamination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Susana_Field_Laboratory#...

tqkxzugoaupvwqr 4y ago

> In an article in the Ventura County Star, James Palmer, a former SSFL worker was interviewed. The article notes that "of the 27 men on Palmer's crew, 22 died of cancers." > A worker disposes of toxic chemicals by blowing up full barrels with a rifle shot (the reaction to the shot caused an explosion). What’s the reasoning behind this? A childish fantasy that the chemicals evaporate into nothing and cease to exist?

tinus_hn 4y ago
> What’s the reasoning behind this? A childish fantasy that the chemicals evaporate into nothing and cease to exist? How is it different from a chimney? You’re just blowing waste away from yourself so you don’t have to care about it anymore.
wcoenen 4y ago
Pure sodium reacts rather violently with water. It might make sense to remove that hazard by allowing the violent reaction to take place where and when you want it to happen. It would be similar to neutralizing a bomb by blowing it up under controlled conditions. Video of kids throwing sodium in water: https://youtu.be/NTFBXJ3Zd_4 https://youtu.be/NTFBXJ3Zd_4 edit: in this case the sodium was radioactive though, so blowing it up seems... not good.

pvaldes 4y ago

The reckless and insane behavior of the employees looks like cheap TV comedy. Using the break time to fish in ponds with toxic products until the water boils? And then eating the floating fish? And doing that in the same ponds again and again? Wow

hulitu 4y ago
Those employees had a managenent. Ah sorry, i thought it is about Volkswagen /s
mcv 4y ago
How did anyone allow residential zoning anywhere near that place? Until it's thoroughly cleaned, nobody should be allowed to live anywhere near that place. How was this not cleaned decades ago?
elliekelly 4y ago
This is a particularly egregious example (and unusual because it involves DOE) but if you browse the US “Brownfields” Superfund sites[1] you’ll find all kinds of crazy and reckless behavior relating to land contamination. Most of the people carrying out the orders in the 50s, 60s, and 70s just didn’t know any better. But some of the people from the 80s and 90s who did know (or should have known) better just didn’t care. There’s one site in Montana called Yankee Doodle Tailings pond from an old (I think) copper mine and the “pond” is highly contaminated with heavy metals. Every once in a while the Montana Fish & Wildlife will frantically try to alert residents who hunt not to eat any $bird they might have killed recently because a mass die-off means the flock stopped at the “pond” and was poisoned. [1]https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Superfund_sites