Uranium Released into River

The Cincinnati Enquirer ^ | 10 Sep 03 | Dan Klepal

[xzins]

Fernald releases uranium into river

CROSBY TWP. - More than 2.2 million gallons of uranium-tainted rainwater was discharged into the Great Miami River from the Fernald nuclear clean-up site during three days last week, a report indicated.

The dirty water was blended with clean water before being dumped into the river, according to the report filed by Fluor Daniel, the company responsible for the Fernald cleanup. Still, the uranium levels were at least double, and sometimes triple, the amount allowable in drinking water, even after being blended.

The discharges are permitted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and thus allowable by law. The EPA does, however, limit to 10 the total number of discharges in one year. Fluor Daniel has used seven days so far this year.

The last discharge came in July, when 2.9 million gallons of rainwater tainted with uranium was discharged into the river from the nuclear cleanup site. The water carried levels of uranium nearly three times the amount allowable for safe drinking water.

Bill Hertel, manager of aquifer restoration at the cleanup site, said the water poses no health risks to humans.

"Not after it's mixed in the river," Hertel said. "We usually have to discharge when the river level is very high, and that was the case last week."

The discharges are necessary in times of heavy rain to keep a retention basin from overflowing into Paddy's Run, a small stream that bleeds into the Great Miami Aquifer. The aquifer was contaminated during plant operations from 1953 to 1989.

E-mail dklepal@enquirer.com

[xzins]

The FERNALD PLANT is a former uranium enrichment plant near Cincinnati, Ohio. It truly was a location that got out of control. The clean-up continues to be a source of concern for the area.

[Diogenesis]

The dirty water was blended with clean water before being dumped into the river

This makes it dumpable ... but stupid.

[xzins]

You've got to wonder if there isn't a better way.

This sounds like the easy way.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

No anonymous comments on the dumping of radioactive contaminants by fossil fuel power plants?

Dilution is the solution to pollution!

Grasp the nettle of technology or be a Luddite but be consistent.

[xzins]

Does this have something to do with fossil fuel power plants?

[Diogenesis]

CHEAP
ACCURATE and CLEAN
FAST

=============

Pick two.

[Snowy]

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

Uhh, read the article again. It didn't say this was radioactive! Dumping radioactive uranium is illegal, this must be depleted uranium. Another example of media hype.

[BUCKSBUD]

Can't help but wonder where Bill Hertel gets his drinking water. Bet it's not down stream from the release site.
Would he take his kids or grandkids fishing in that water?

[xzins]

Sorry, dude, but all uranium -- even depleted uranium -- is still radioactive. This is a uranium enrichment site that was winked at as it polluted the area, AND much of the uranium allowed to leak out was NOT depleted.

Among other things, the cancer clusters in the area prove really bad joojoo going on for decades.

Also, all uranium (and all lead, for that matter) is poisonous when you consume it.

[xzins]

I wouldn't eat too many fish near the dump site, either.

Dollar to a donut that there are limitations on how many pounds per year that can be eaten....IF any.

[Pest]

The water carried levels of uranium nearly three times the amount allowable for safe drinking water.

This is a very important sentence. First, it says the water that was dumped into the river is 3 times the allowable for drinking. That doesn't mean that the river actually had that concentration. It was probably practically not detectable.

Second, who drinks water directly out of the river? The levels cited in the article are meaningless. I assume that it was well below the levels for direct contact.

The media is definitely hyping this big time.

[xzins]

I think the article mentions the dilution effect AND that they only release during flood stage to increase the dilution effect.

However, radio-active rainwater collection means that that SITE is horribly contaminated.

Also, the closer to the release site, the higher would be the presence of uranium in river flora, fauna.

[joesnuffy]

the solution to pollution
is dilution

[dhuffman@awod.com]

I thought that it had something to do with understanding the effects of radioactivity in the environment.

For instance, later you babbled about 'all uranium is radioactive - even DU'. Well, DUuh! The vast majority of isotopes are radioactive. So.

Do you understand 'specific activity'? The badder stuff goes away in a hurry while the bad human scale stuff never does.

Grasp the nettle of technology or be a Luddite but be consistent.

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Imagine one part per million of 'fossil fuel' is toxic. How many tons of FF are burned every day?

I'll let you go down on a smokestack and huff way.

It is 'radioactive'.

Water is 'poisonous' when you consume enough of it.

[xzins]

Fine.

It's a pristine environment, but what the hell, let's spend millions cleaning it up.

Don't think so, guy. Methinks thou hast an agenda.

[Ditto]

Does this have something to do with fossil fuel power plants?

As a matter of fact, coal-fired plants release more radioactivity than nuclear plants do.

[xzins]

This is not about a nuclear plant, either.

It's about a former uranium enrichment factory that was out of control and polluted its location and the area round about it through terrible management.

[boris]

Where does the uranium come from?

Why, from the good old pristine Mother Earth.

Dumping it into a river ensures it will return to the good old pristine Mother Earth.

Or would you rather spend $15,000 per pound to launch it into the Sun?

I Guarantee someone would be marching, protesting the "pollution of the Sun with toxic uranium."

--Boris