There is no increased radiation in Washington State

12
Conflicting information comes from the US state of Washington. In the Hanford complex collapsed part of the tunnel, where there were cars with solid radioactive waste. There are rumors of an emergency evacuation of staff and even citizens. However, major American media outlets, including CNN, say that there are no confirmed reports of exposure after a tunnel collapse at the Hanford nuclear facility.

There is no increased radiation in Washington State




Hanford Complex (Hanford Nuclear Site or simply Hanford Site) - a complex for the production of radioactive materials on the bank of the r. Columbia in Washington State, previously used by the US federal government. It is currently decommissioned.

Conspiracy radio reported on the “radiation catastrophe” in Washington State and the ban on flying over the accident zone "Super Station 95" (95.1 FM).

The collapse of part of the tunnel at the Hanford complex is reported. In this tunnel there are wagons “with radioactive fuel rods” and other “highly radioactive products”. It is indicated that “employees have been evacuated”, and an emergency operations center is also involved. A no-fly zone in the area extends within a radius of five miles of the accident. The zone was introduced by the Federal Civil Administration aviation (FAA).

People in the vicinity were ordered to “close the windows, seal the ventilation systems” and even “not to eat or drink” until the exact extent of radiation propagation has been calculated.

The radio station does not indicate where it has such data from, especially about “not drinking”.

The moderator recalls that for decades, Hanford produced plutonium for nuclear weapons, and is now the largest repository of radioactive waste. It contains about 56 million gallons of radioactive waste, most of which is hidden in 177 underground tanks. The vault was built during the Second World War. It produced plutonium for most of the US nuclear arsenal, including a bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.

Now Hanford has more than 9000 employees (Hanford has more than 9,000 employees).

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the RADnet radiation monitoring system throughout the United States is currently showing a rapid increase in radiation levels in the Richland area, Washington, where Hanford nuclear storage is located. There are supposedly "more 100 burst points" of gamma radiation.

Hundreds of workers were forced to "hide" after the tunnel collapsed. True, according to reports, at the time of the collapse, not a single worker was in the tunnel. The workers who were on this site were evacuated. Other workers were ordered to "remain on the premises." A certain "manager" sent messages to all the staff, which suggested "to provide ventilation in your building" and "refrain from eating or drinking."

Later, the radio "Super Station 95" reported that "approximately 61 worker" was still inside the tunnel during the collapse. At the same time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decided on flight restrictions. In neighboring Oregon, the Office of Emergency Management was involved. They announced "2 Level" (emergency operations center went into standby mode).

Local authorities, state and US authorities, the report states, admit that there was a “small” accident at the Hanford site, and that's it. Radio presenters disagree with them and post “wind directions” maps in the Hanford area on their website. According to this radio, the claims of Hanford officials that “there is no radiation” are “deliberate” concealment of the facts, because “doctors” on the spot “convincingly prove” that “pollution and high levels of radiation emanate from the tunnel”. These "facts", according to Super Station 95, are "not controversial."

Otherwise, the channel looks at the question CNN.

The report says that the 20-foot hole in the tunnel roof at the Hanford nuclear waste site will be filled with clean soil. This is data from the US Department of Energy.

About the collapse of a fragment of the tunnel became known from local workers. It is an old tunnel, built of wood and concrete, and covered with eight feet of ground during the Cold War. It was intended tunnel for the transport of railway cars with equipment contaminated during the production of plutonium. According to the Department of Energy, it was "sealed" since the middle of the 1990-s.

Indeed, three thousand Hanford workers received orders to hide. For other employees, there was no such order. Workers who live north of the vault entrance were asked to stay at home for one day (meaning last Wednesday). A few hours later it turned out that there was no evidence that the workers had been exposed to radiation, and that there was generally radiation in the air.

“All employees are registered, there are no injuries,” the emergency center spokesperson D. Henderson reported. “There is also no evidence of a radiation release.”

Other experts reported that "there is no" evidence of the spread of pollution outside the region.

Columnist "The Seattle Times" John Talton writes that the Hanford accident is another reminder of many problems in the US nuclear industry.

This author cites data that differs from CNN information: when “the tunnel with radioactive waste collapsed,” 4800 workers were evacuated. At the same time, there was indeed no leakage of radiation. The emergency center opened by the US Department of Energy for monitoring continues to operate, but this is not at all connected with emissions, but with the re-burial of wastes that workers began.

In his article, the author sharply criticizes the nuclear power industry, pointing out a number of accidents and catastrophes (Chernobyl, Fukushima, Three Mile Island collapse in 1979 in Pennsylvania), as well as the need to contain storage facilities. In the United States, 75.000 tons of spent fuel are stored. And this waste "can be deadly for 250.000 years," the journalist points out. In addition to the problem of waste disposal, the issue of safety of nuclear power plants is “extremely complicated,” the columnist believes.

Talton sees no prospects for nuclear energy in the United States. It is not without reason that businessmen cannot get money from the Wall Street gates for the development of nuclear power plants. The formerly powerful Westinghouse company was already reorganized during the bankruptcy procedure: its hopes of returning to the nuclear business were not justified. These problems can strike at the parent company, Toshiba.

Renewable energy can help solve energy problems: wind and sun. These sources are becoming more efficient and cheaper.

Regarding the collapse of the Hanford tunnel, we add that the accident a week ago proves how outdated this repository is. Although this time there was no exposure, there is a danger of emission of radiation.

As for articles in the Russian press under headlines like “America has finished playing: Washington covers radiation”then they will remain on the conscience of the authors.

Observed and commented on Oleg Chuvakin
- especially for topwar.ru
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    12 comments
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    1. +2
      17 May 2017 15: 17
      It's all clear-American version of REN-TV is to blame for everything ..
      1. +1
        17 May 2017 22: 22
        Well this time hi
        1. +1
          18 May 2017 00: 14
          This ... and where is the analytics?
    2. +5
      17 May 2017 16: 08
      state and US authorities, the material says, acknowledge that a “minor” accident occurred at the Hanford site

      About Chernobyl at the beginning they also said that.
    3. 0
      17 May 2017 16: 40
      Renewable energy sources such as wind and sun will help solve energy problems. These sources are becoming more effective and cheaper.

      Yah????? they’ll become ... in two hundred years .... and for now only hydropower is well under nuclear supervision ... if coal and gas are not burned ... and where, by the way, like in Fukushima, flocks of noble guardians for the Green World? ??? Well, in the sense of green, this is the most scary ... they are afraid of raising the voice for the most democratic state ...
      1. +2
        17 May 2017 22: 19
        Ecology is certainly good, and it is necessary to develop where possible. That's just not everywhere you can.
        The need for electricity is only growing over time.

        Windmills with solar panels are a good solution for summer cottages.
        No windmills will be enough for the aluminum plant.
        And the same blast furnace, without which the current industry is unthinkable (count how much iron is used everywhere), consumes more coal in one session than any other thermal power plant in a week.
      2. +1
        18 May 2017 11: 20
        Greenpeace for free does not work! And they are not afraid of anything, fulfilling the next contract. winked
    4. +1
      17 May 2017 20: 01
      "conspiratorial radio" Super Station 95 "(95.1 FM)." what
      What kind of beast is this? How trustworthy is it?
      1. +1
        18 May 2017 17: 46
        not worth it, the radio station collects gossip and rumors
    5. +2
      17 May 2017 20: 33
      [b] Renewable energy sources will help solve energy problems: wind and sun. These sources are becoming more effective and cheaper.
      When was the last time you bought them?
    6. +4
      17 May 2017 22: 05
      There is no increased radiation in Washington State Hic ... It will be.
    7. +1
      18 May 2017 18: 31
      So it was confirmed who the author works for. Let America develop windmills, and we will develop atomic energy.

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