Post by Ex_Nuke_Troop on Mar 18, 2014 1:59:08 GMT
Current-Argus : Speculation abounds, but truth on WIPP incidents is less interesting, experts say
By Zack Ponce
zponce@currentargus.com @zackponce12 on Twitter
Posted: 03/16/2014 02:26:40 PM MDT
CARLSBAD >> Radiation leaks from a barrel underground and causes a large plume of radiation to spread across the entire southwestern portion of the United States, engulfing innocent residents as they sit outside in their yard. The scenario may make for an entertaining movie script, but except for a radiation leak at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, it in no way parallels reality for Carlsbad residents.
Dr. Ronald Goans, an occupational and radiation medicine professional with MJW Corporation in Clinton, Tenn., said the widespread paranoia propagated by some is unfounded and harmful. He has recently heard of two people who plan to move away from Eddy County and one business owner who plans to move the company out of state because of the radiation leak.
"This is a terrible reaction to the issue and I hope we can mitigate the terror," Goans said.
Goans holds a doctorate degree in physics from the University of Tennessee and a doctorate of medicine from George Washington University School of Medicine.
He has consulted with victims of radiation exposure around the world, and described the incident at WIPP as "a non-issue medically."
Since Feb. 19 when Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center air monitors detected traces of plutonium and americium in the outside air, program director Russell Hardy has remained adamant that the radioactive particles could not have spread far since the release.
"It's impossible because they are heavier isotopes," Hardy said. "Probably the furthest they could travel is about 15 to 20 miles."
Data has shown that the radiation didn't even make it to the nearest population center.
The air monitor that recorded particles of plutonium and americium was located about a half mile northwest of WIPP. A separate air monitor located 12 miles southeast of the facility did not show any signs of radiation.
Other theories floated as to the cause of the radiation leak don't seem to correlate with the scientific data that has been released thus far.
One popular theory is that the entire roof of WIPP's underground chambers collapsed and damaged all the drums underground, causing a leak that still continues today.
Seismic data taken and analyzed by the Department of Energy from the time when the leak was detected showed no signs of any earthquake activity.
Another theory was that the vehicle fire on Feb. 5 caused the drums to leak radiation despite the fact that the two incidents occurred nine days apart and were more than a mile apart underground.
The likely cause for the rash of speculation is an inherent distrust of government, followed by the negative connotation of nuclear waste.
"The problem is that trust of the government and trust of the mainstream media is so low that it has become easy to compete with either in terms of trust," said Kyle Marksteiner, a resident of Carlsbad. "Someone starts a web page and claims independence, and their information is being perceived as just as credible as the information from conventional sources."
However, Marksteiner said, "Many of these sites are not independent but instead are being run by anti-nuclear activist groups with major agendas."
Residents in Lubbock, Texas, are not expected to become contaminated by the radioactive particles, nor are residents in Carlsbad and Hobbs.
"I don't have any reason to tell people anything but the truth," Hardy said. "People are going to take it and blow it out of proportion. We just hope people believe the science."
Reporter Zack Ponce can be reached at (575) 689-7402.
www.currentargus.com/carlsbad-news/ci_25355872/speculation-abounds-but-truth-wipp-incidents-is-less
By Zack Ponce
zponce@currentargus.com @zackponce12 on Twitter
Posted: 03/16/2014 02:26:40 PM MDT
CARLSBAD >> Radiation leaks from a barrel underground and causes a large plume of radiation to spread across the entire southwestern portion of the United States, engulfing innocent residents as they sit outside in their yard. The scenario may make for an entertaining movie script, but except for a radiation leak at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, it in no way parallels reality for Carlsbad residents.
Dr. Ronald Goans, an occupational and radiation medicine professional with MJW Corporation in Clinton, Tenn., said the widespread paranoia propagated by some is unfounded and harmful. He has recently heard of two people who plan to move away from Eddy County and one business owner who plans to move the company out of state because of the radiation leak.
"This is a terrible reaction to the issue and I hope we can mitigate the terror," Goans said.
Goans holds a doctorate degree in physics from the University of Tennessee and a doctorate of medicine from George Washington University School of Medicine.
He has consulted with victims of radiation exposure around the world, and described the incident at WIPP as "a non-issue medically."
Since Feb. 19 when Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center air monitors detected traces of plutonium and americium in the outside air, program director Russell Hardy has remained adamant that the radioactive particles could not have spread far since the release.
"It's impossible because they are heavier isotopes," Hardy said. "Probably the furthest they could travel is about 15 to 20 miles."
Data has shown that the radiation didn't even make it to the nearest population center.
The air monitor that recorded particles of plutonium and americium was located about a half mile northwest of WIPP. A separate air monitor located 12 miles southeast of the facility did not show any signs of radiation.
Other theories floated as to the cause of the radiation leak don't seem to correlate with the scientific data that has been released thus far.
One popular theory is that the entire roof of WIPP's underground chambers collapsed and damaged all the drums underground, causing a leak that still continues today.
Seismic data taken and analyzed by the Department of Energy from the time when the leak was detected showed no signs of any earthquake activity.
Another theory was that the vehicle fire on Feb. 5 caused the drums to leak radiation despite the fact that the two incidents occurred nine days apart and were more than a mile apart underground.
The likely cause for the rash of speculation is an inherent distrust of government, followed by the negative connotation of nuclear waste.
"The problem is that trust of the government and trust of the mainstream media is so low that it has become easy to compete with either in terms of trust," said Kyle Marksteiner, a resident of Carlsbad. "Someone starts a web page and claims independence, and their information is being perceived as just as credible as the information from conventional sources."
However, Marksteiner said, "Many of these sites are not independent but instead are being run by anti-nuclear activist groups with major agendas."
Residents in Lubbock, Texas, are not expected to become contaminated by the radioactive particles, nor are residents in Carlsbad and Hobbs.
"I don't have any reason to tell people anything but the truth," Hardy said. "People are going to take it and blow it out of proportion. We just hope people believe the science."
Reporter Zack Ponce can be reached at (575) 689-7402.
www.currentargus.com/carlsbad-news/ci_25355872/speculation-abounds-but-truth-wipp-incidents-is-less