The Columbia River (click here) was critical to Hanford during its plutonium production mission since river water was used to cool down the nuclear reactors when they were in operation. So, construction crews built all nine of the reactors within close proximity to the Columbia. In addition, Hanford’s 300 Area, a complex of buildings used to conduct experiments as well as manufacture equipment for use throughout the Site, is also located near the river shore. The Columbia River Corridor accounts for about 220 square miles of the Hanford Site....
Washington Closure Hanford (click here) manages the $2.3 billion River Corridor Closure Project for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Richland Operations Office.
Washington Closure Hanford (click here) manages the $2.3 billion River Corridor Closure Project for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Richland Operations Office.
The company is responsible for protecting the Columbia River by cleaning up 555 waste sites, demolishing 329 buildings, placing two plutonium production reactors and one nuclear facility in interim safe storage, and operating the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility.
January 22, 2014
RICHLAND, WA – Hanford’s River Corridor contractor, (click here) Washington Closure Hanford, has met a significant cleanup challenge on the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hanford Site by removing a 1,082-ton nuclear test reactor from the 300 Area.
The River Corridor is a 220-square-mile section of land bordering the Columbia River and is DOE’s largest environmental cleanup closure project. The 300 Area is located about a mile north of Richland and a quarter-mile from the Columbia River. It was home to Hanford’s research, development and fuel fabrication activities for nearly 60 years.
“Removing the reactor was one of the most complex and hazardous projects Washington Closure has faced since beginning work on the Columbia River corridor in 2005,” said Scott Sax, Washington Closure president. “It took months of detailed planning and extensive preparatory work to reach the point where the reactor could be removed. This achievement was made possible because of our highly skilled workforce committed to completing this job safely to protect the Columbia River.”
The Plutonium Recycle Test Reactor was the largest of Hanford’s experimental reactors used for developing and testing alternative fuels for the commercial nuclear power industry. The reactor operated from 1960 to 1969 and was housed underground beneath the 309 Building’s dome structure. Washington Closure removed the 67-ton dome in early 2011 and its associated 100-foot-tall exhaust stack in 2010....
People are terrified of the chronic problems Fukushima poses and now Canadians are worried about radiation sickness. Canada needs to set up government monitoring to provide citizens with a clear understanding of their circumstances.
By Dan Fumano
The Province
January 22, 2014
People are terrified of the chronic problems Fukushima poses and now Canadians are worried about radiation sickness. Canada needs to set up government monitoring to provide citizens with a clear understanding of their circumstances.
By Dan FumanoThe Province
January 22, 2014
Reached in Ottawa, (click here) Ahier said Health Canada has heard about cases of Canadians using potassium iodide unnecessarily.
As with many other medications, some people could have an adverse reaction to potassium iodide, and require medical treatment if taken, Ahier said.
Potassium iodide is sometimes prescribed by a physician or homeopathic practitioner to help with a “sluggish thyroid,” said Cristina Alarcon, a pharmacist with the Hollyburn Medical Centre in West Vancouver.
Hollyburn occasionally sells potassium iodide from behind the counter. It doesn’t legally require a prescription, but Alarcon said she asks for one.
“I prefer to see a prescription, either from a physician or a naturopath, just so that I know that the person’s thyroid has been checked, their condition has been checked, and it’s not just out of a whim that they’re going to take it and potentially harm their health,” said Alarcon. “You could potentially do yourself more damage by taking something like that.”
But some local pharmacists question Health Canada’s recommendation and believe in the efficacy of potassium iodide, continuing to sell the product to concerned customers without a prescription....
Monitoring reviews are conducted regularly by the US EPA with transparency at their website. The USA has a great investment in tourism along the west coast, in Hawaii and Alaska. There needs to be a clear understanding to the extent there could be exposure to residents in those areas as well as tourists from the USA and internationally.
Monitoring reviews are conducted regularly by the US EPA with transparency at their website. The USA has a great investment in tourism along the west coast, in Hawaii and Alaska. There needs to be a clear understanding to the extent there could be exposure to residents in those areas as well as tourists from the USA and internationally.
Fukushima Information and Resources (click here)
EPA is aware of some public concern that has been raised by recent articles about the impact of the potentially ongoing radioactive leaks from the damaged nuclear reactors in Fukushima. EPA’s air monitoring data have not shown any radioactive elements associated with the damaged Japanese reactors since late 2011, and even then, the levels found were very low—always well below any level of public health concern.
Situational Updates – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (click here)
An IAEA expert team (click here) today completed a review of Japan's efforts to plan and implement the decommissioning of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The International Peer Review of Japan's Mid-and-Long-Term Roadmap towards the Decommissioning of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Units 1-4 conducted its visit from 25 November to 4 December 2013....
Situational Updates – International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (click here)
An IAEA expert team (click here) today completed a review of Japan's efforts to plan and implement the decommissioning of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The International Peer Review of Japan's Mid-and-Long-Term Roadmap towards the Decommissioning of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Units 1-4 conducted its visit from 25 November to 4 December 2013....
