The Nuclear Metals Incorporation and the Mess They Left Behind

Researchers say they found elevated levels of these chemicals, known as endocrine disrupting chemicals, in surface water and groundwater samples collected in the state's Garfield County where more than 10,000 gas wells exist (Mosbergen, 2013). A single well requires up to 7 million gallons of water, plus an additional 400,000 gallons of additives. These additives include lubricants, biocides, scale and rust inhibitors, solvents, foaming and de-foaming agents, emulsifiers and de-emulsifiers, stabilizers and breakers (Royte, 2012). At almost every stage of developing and operating an oil or gas well, chemicals can be introduced into the environment. While many people get sick from drinking water that turns out to be contaminated by fracking, cancer has not been proven to be caused by this but people living near a fracking well have been more likely to get

individuals are affected by this issue. The once clean water in these wells is now polluted

The following year, after environmental impact assessments were conducted by DOE, the list was narrowed to five potential locations (Richton Dome, Mississippi; Yucca Mountain, Nevada; Deaf Smith County, Texas; Davis Canyon, Utah; and, Hanford, Washington).5 Finally, in 1986, DOE narrowed the field to three sites: Yucca Mountain, Nevada; Deaf Smith County, Texas; and Hanford, Washington. The fact that each of these locations had a prior involvement with nuclear technology probably contributed to their selection since DOE likely concluded that any opposition to establishing a radioactive waste repository would be muted.6 The site selection process in the East was even more difficult. As Michael Kraft, Professor of Environmental Studies, points out:

Recently, a contractor working for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unintentionally released 3 million gallons of toxic mine waste into the Animas River in the Mountain West state of Colorado. Today, people in the US are debating the efficacy of the EPA (the right-wing is using the spill as anti-government propaganda) and the toxic aftermath the spill will undoubtedly have on local economies, communities and ecosystems. So far, the spill has "contaminated the Animas River, San Juan River, and the Colorado River in Utah."

Built during the uranium frenzy of the 1950's, the Moki Dugway transported uranium ore from the Cedar Mesa mines to the processing mills in Mexican Hat. Over two million tons of ore were extracted from local mines leaving a toxic environmental legacy for generations to come.

4. The OTA analysis of the EPA monitoring study data provided limited, but not conclusive, indication that there may have been contamination in the EDA by toxic chemicals from Love Canal. OTA was able to examine only those data for chemicals known to have been disposed in Love Canal, as compared to the much larger universe of data analyzed by

After it’s mined and done in the uranium mills it’s loaded on to trucks and sent to get refined in Blind River, Ontario. Uranium is used for nuclear power plants after its done being refined. It’s also stored in metal barrels.

In the process of fracking, problems can occur and there can be a possibility of water contamination. During fracking underground water supplies can be exposed to shale gas and contaminate the water or there could be a cement failures and infiltration from soil or even water transportation incidents (Beaver 127; Penning et al. 1156). This can happen very easily and can cause the water to get contaminated. In one case, “EPA found evidence of groundwater contamination with benzene, xylenes, gasoline range organics, diesel range organics, and total volatile hydrocarbons in shallow wells that lie above 169 gas-producing wells that were hydro fractured.”(Penning et al. 1156). Most of these chemicals found in the water are harmful to the body, can

The Great Lakes, though fairly clean, are contaminated with some deadly chemicals that have slipped by human filtration into the lakes. These emerging chemicals have been determined to pose some health risk to humans and surrounding ecosystems and are used by society, but are unregulated or inadequately regulated retardants (Miller-Branovacki, Lindsay, "Water Resources and Urban Waste Water (Week #8)"). More specifically an emerging contaminant is one which is not historically widely distributed, nor a concern, however are now persistent and bioaccumulative making them a concern for the environment. The three major categories for emerging contaminants are; endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), Pharmaceutical and personal care

Even though the residents of North St. Louis, the EPA and other authorities have their points of view, further serious claims continue to be revealed. An oppositional statement using government records and the EPA 's data was reported by Véronique LaCapra just recently. In the article “Confused about Bridgeton, West Lake landfills? Here 's what you should know,” published on October 20, 2015 on the KWMU 's website, states that there were reports about high level of radiation found in residential areas and trees. In addition, a second report was released about the Wilfong family who lives in Bridgeton, MO within smelling distance of the landfill. The family raised

The people living around the wells often seem to have a bad time with the wells. Their water turns colors, bubbles, fizzes, smells, and even become flammable. The workers wouldn’t drink the water, so why should the land owners or the animals around. Some of the animals were losing hair and weight. The water is so polluted, yet the companies just try to cover it all up.

South Dakota was one of the states that provided a great amount of uranium to be used during the 50’s, 60’s and the Cold War era. The demand of uranium increased and the constructions of mines were also increased. One of the areas that needed uranium was the military to be used in weapons ammunition and vehicles. Most of these mines were abandoned and the contamination spread around the nearby land and waters. “An earlier study of Forest Service land, on which the old mines from the 1950s and 1960s are located, found levels of arsenic, uranium and other contaminants in concentrations higher than what occurs naturally” (Walker, 2007). Some of these waste was carry down by rain precipitation to areas away from the mine. Indian reservations were affected by the mine contamination and

A costly fire at the Rocky Flats Plant in 1969 and later detection of off-site Plutonium in soil samples spurred discussion of environmental contamination problems and safety implications of the Rocky Flats installation. (Little, C. A., and F. W. Whicker). Investigators were sent out to the Rocky Flats to test soil samples from wind dispersion. The findings

This is why uranium is so popular within the higher ups of countries, especially the military.

For many years, the government has been faced with the mounting dilemma that is being caused by nuclear waste. This radioactive material is a byproduct of nuclear reactors, hospital, processing plants, and research facilities. Since the use of nuclear power began, the wastes have been transported and kept from the public successfully but there are a large percentage of people that believe this industry needs to come to a halt until a solution has been devised for its disposal. There is a major concern that the long term containment plants and current burial grounds are not adequate solutions; this is due to the risk of potential environmental disturbances. When these substances are not disposed of properly, they can cause a multiplicity of dangers such as cancer and destruction of the ecosystem. The most effective methods for the elimination of nuclear waste are building more reliable burial sites, turning the byproduct into electricity, transmuting these toxins into glass that can be handled normally and constructing launchers to send the most noxious substances into outer space.