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US atomic waste dump in Marshall Islands to be investigated

bbc.com

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Re: US atomic waste dump in Marshall Islands to be investigated

#21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many generations beyond ours. Someone else posted this article which has more information: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-27/the-dome-runit-island... "Some of the debris buried beneath the dome includes plutonium-239, a fissile isotope used in nuclear warheads which is one of the most toxic substances on earth. It has a radioactive half-life of 24,100 years."

Generally speaking, the longer the half-life, the less dangerous (in terms of radioactivity) something is. Also, pl239 primarily emits alpha particles, which are stopped by clothing and don't penetrate skin. Maybe a real physicist can chime in, but I don't think there's much risk of standing around subcritical quantities of the stuff. The chemical toxicity is a different matter though.

Direct from Wikipedia:

As an alpha emitter, plutonium-239 is not particularly dangerous as an external radiation source, but if it is ingested or breathed in as dust it is very dangerous and carcinogenic. It has been estimated that a pound (454 grams) of plutonium inhaled as plutonium oxide dust could give cancer to two million people. However, ingested plutonium is by far less dangerous as only a tiny fraction is absorbed in gastrointestinal tract. 800 mg would be unlikely to cause a major health risk as far as radiation is concerned. As a heavy metal, plutonium is also toxic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutonium-239

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutonium#Precautions

Re: US atomic waste dump in Marshall Islands to be investigated

#22
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, just started watching it. I had no idea the Marshall Islands were settled thousands of years ago. Horrifying that they just detonated atomic bombs there and let people deal with the fallout...

If you think that's bad, check out the flag of Bikini Atoll ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Bikini_Atoll ). It's literally a big middle finger to the American government. It's America's flag but with some black stars hanging out amongst the stripes: "The three black stars in the upper right represent the three islands that were disfigured in March 1954 during the 15-megaton Bravo test by the United States. Th…

Not as bad, but there's a nuclear waste dump off the coast of California: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farallon_Islands#Nuclear_waste...

Re: US atomic waste dump in Marshall Islands to be investigated

#24

ABC Australia visited this island in 2017, and created a photo essay with some very clear images of its current state and its precarious location. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-27/the-dome-runit-island...

>“I’m persuaded that the radiation outside the dome is as bad as the radiation inside the dome,” says Professor Gerrard. >“And therefore, it is a tragic irony that the US Government may be right, that if this material were to be released that the already bad state of the environment around there wouldn’t get that much worse.” Okay, so this begs the question: how bad is it already ? I don't see anyone wearing radiatio…

A lot of people misunderstand danger from radioactivity.

From what I understand, brief exposure poses little risk, but prolonged exposure is the problem. In this case, if the dome leaks, it means that radioactive material gets into the food chain, thus causing prolonged exposure to whoever eats it.

(Besides, if the dome were so toxic that you couldn't get close to it, there wouldn't be vines growing on the dome and trees next to it.)

Re: US atomic waste dump in Marshall Islands to be investigated

#25
post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>“I’m persuaded that the radiation outside the dome is as bad as the radiation inside the dome,” says Professor Gerrard. >“And therefore, it is a tragic irony that the US Government may be right, that if this material were to be released that the already bad state of the environment around there wouldn’t get that much worse.” Okay, so this begs the question: how bad is it already ? I don't see anyone wearing radiatio…

A lot of people misunderstand danger from radioactivity. From what I understand, brief exposure poses little risk, but prolonged exposure is the problem. In this case, if the dome leaks, it means that radioactive material gets into the food chain, thus causing prolonged exposure to whoever eats it. (Besides, if the dome were so toxic that you couldn't get close to it, there wouldn't be vines growing on the dome and t…

Supposedly, it's PU238 underneath, more alpha than gamma danger. Concrete would block alpha radiation pretty well. It's also a heavy metal, so it would be poisonous without the radiation.

Re: US atomic waste dump in Marshall Islands to be investigated

#26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many generations beyond ours. Someone else posted this article which has more information: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-27/the-dome-runit-island... "Some of the debris buried beneath the dome includes plutonium-239, a fissile isotope used in nuclear warheads which is one of the most toxic substances on earth. It has a radioactive half-life of 24,100 years."

Generally speaking, the longer the half-life, the less dangerous (in terms of radioactivity) something is. Also, pl239 primarily emits alpha particles, which are stopped by clothing and don't penetrate skin. Maybe a real physicist can chime in, but I don't think there's much risk of standing around subcritical quantities of the stuff. The chemical toxicity is a different matter though.

Fascinating, I don't have a lot of knowledge around the subject. Thank you for the new perspective.

Re: US atomic waste dump in Marshall Islands to be investigated

#28

Genuinely curious if any Marshallese prowl HN.

Merry Christmas from Christmas Island, Kiribati! I'm not Marshallese, but the islands are nearby.

Other countries have done terrible things to the atolls here as well. Everywhere untouched by WW2 got bombed anyway, especially by France and Britain.

The UK detonated weapons above Kiritimati in the 1950s without evacuating it. Most locals have moved here since, and although some know about the testing, they have no idea about the risks they're exposed to.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23184816

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