02/28/2024 / By Laura Harris
Federal and state officials in California are allegedly ignoring the radioactive waste dumped into the Pacific Ocean off the Southern California coast, even after new reports reveal it is even worse than expected.
According to the Los Angeles Times, researchers discovered that the thousands of barrels of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) disposed of into the ocean were not contained in barrels. The harmful pesticide used in agriculture was directly poured into the ocean.
The scientists also discovered that between the 1940s and 1960s, local hospitals, laboratories and industrial operations disposed of barrels containing tritium, carbon-14 and similar waste at sea.
Moreover, a map from the International Atomic Energy Agency shows that the United States dumped “more than 56,000 barrels of radioactive waste” into the Pacific Ocean in 25 years until 1970.
Scientists have already spotted some of these barrels under more than 3,000 feet of water near Catalina Island and suggest they are likely to remain there indefinitely.
“The problem with the oceans as a dumping solution is once it’s there, you can’t go back and get it,” warned Ken Buesseler, a marine radiochemist, senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and director of the Center for Marine and Environmental Radioactivity. “These 56,000 barrels, for example, we’re never going to get them back.”
But despite all this, both federal and state authorities have been slow to respond effectively.
In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency investigated the issue to assess its operational and regulatory history following the Los Angeles Times report about the dumping of half a million barrels of DDT until 1982. However, not a single report has been completed as of today. The delay in completing the initial report poses a domino effect on the subsequent stages of the investigation, which are intended to analyze the nature of contamination, environmental conditions and potential mitigation strategies.
State Republicans are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to take decisive action as the crisis continues to unfold.
However, Newsom has been busy spending billions on clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, even though carbon dioxide is proven not to be a carcinogen, unlike DDT or even wildfire ash. (Related: “Green energy” mining is polluting rivers and farmland at an unsustainable pace, leaving 23 million people exposed to toxic waste.)
The radioactive waste crisis harms marine life and could also pose a threat to people living nearby, so it demands urgent attention and the allocation of resources. But the government chose to turn a blind eye to it.
State Sen, Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) couldn’t help but express his frustration regarding the negligence of the government.
“If Sacramento legislators are really worried about the environment, then this needs to be taken seriously. California Democrats love to pick and choose ‘clean energy’ initiatives, instead of addressing root causes. I’ve been advocating for years for better forest management, but they’d rather let our forests burn. The hypocrisy is unbelievable.”
Visit Pollution.news for more stories about radioactive waste being found in the environment.
Watch the video about Japan dumping one million tons of radioactive water into the ocean.
This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.
Scientists develop way to extract metals from mining waste using engineered microorganisms.
Sources include:
Tagged Under:
California, california collapse, chemicals, collapsifornia, contamination, Gavin Newsom, nuclear waste, Pacific Ocean, poison, radioactive levels, radioactive waste, samples, toxic chemicals, Waste disposal
This article may contain statements that reflect the opinion of the author
Chemicals.News is a fact-based public education website published by Chemicals News Features, LLC.
All content copyright © 2018 by Chemicals News Features, LLC.
Contact Us with Tips or Corrections
All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.