MedicalConspiracies- Contamination from Hanford shipment worse than first thought | KING5.com Seattle

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Subject:	Multi-D News Contamination from Hanford shipment worse than first thought | KING5.com Seattle
Date:	Tue, 16 Jul 2013 14:24:32 -0400
From:	Lucky <luckypig@infionline.net>

 

this news came out and was quickly "buried".....

 

Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2013 11:41 PM

Subject: Contamination from Hanford shipment worse than first thought | KING5.com Seattle

Contamination from Hanford shipment worse than first thought


by SUSANNAH FRAME / KING 5 News

Posted on June 28, 2013 at 5:38 PM

Updated Tuesday, Jul 2 at 3:50 PM


Radioactive contamination detected June 19 at a private company in Richland
was more serious than officials initially described, according to a document
obtained by KING 5 News.

The incident involved a large glove box that had been used at the Hanford
Site by workers involved in plutonium processing. Two boxes were hauled to
the Richland facility of PermaFix Northwest on the 19th to be processed for
permanent disposal. After the boxes were unloaded, radiation was detected,
prompting PermaFix to notify state regulators.

PermaFix said the public and workers were never exposed and there was no
environmental damage. The company said no contamination escaped the truck
bay where the boxes were unloaded.

But a report written on June 21 by Washington State Department of Health
inspector Kristen Schwab suggests the spread of contaminated material was
more serious.

Schwab said contamination was detected in multiple places, including the
rigging system used to unload the boxes and a forklift used to move the
boxes. The report also said employees were not wearing personal protective
equipment while unloading the boxes.

Schwab's report said state inspectors have "concerns with the practice of
opening shipping containers outside and moving equipment with high levels of
internal alpha contamination without the use of secondary containment." The
report recommends that similar shipments to PermaFix be halted until the
June 19 incident is investigated and new safety measures put in place.

It's unclear how the contamination escaped the glove box, which was wrapped
in plastic by workers at the Hanford Site before being placed inside a
larger containment vessel. PermaFix and the state of Washington said they
are taking steps to ensure a similar incident doesn't happen again.

The watchdog group Hanford Challenge said the June 19 incident raises
questions about how shipments of radioactive materials are managed.

"There was contamination found outdoors. This highlights the lack of
transparency and it shows we need more rigorous oversight," said Meredith
Crafton, the group's policy and advocacy coordinator.

Last month, KING 5 reported that the Department of Energy and its
contractors were using parade permits to get permission to transport
radioactive debris through the streets of Richland. Such permits require far
less stringent safety measures.

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