Concerns are mounting in Missouri over the possibility that radioactive waste may be lurking in the Bridgeton Landfill. The state has informed federal authorities of the “high likelihood” that radioactive material may be present in the landfill, which has been smoldering for over 14 years.
Missouri state officials are raising alarm over the potential presence of radioactive contamination at the Bridgeton Landfill, located just outside St. Louis. In a letter sent last week, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to take charge of oversight at the facility, suggesting that the landfill may contain nuclear waste similar to the contamination found next door at the West Lake Landfill.
The Bridgeton Landfill has been dealing with what is known as a “subsurface smoldering event”—a chemical reaction that generates heat without oxygen, essentially mimicking a fire beneath the surface. This ongoing issue has raised significant concerns for local residents, particularly as the smoldering material is dangerously close to the West Lake Landfill, which contains uranium waste from the World War II-era Manhattan Project.
While the West Lake Landfill is under EPA oversight and undergoing extensive cleanup due to its radioactive contamination, the possibility that the Bridgeton site also contains radioactive waste has alarmed Missouri officials. The state’s letter emphasized that the radioactive material could be far closer to the smoldering event than was previously known, increasing the urgency of further investigation.
Bridgeton Landfill Smoldering Concerns
The Bridgeton Landfill has been smoldering for over a decade, causing an ongoing release of toxic odors into the surrounding area. This phenomenon, often compared to an underground fire, has been a source of constant tension in the local community. Nearby residents worry that the intense heat from the subsurface reaction could eventually reach the radioactive waste at West Lake Landfill next door, further exacerbating environmental hazards and health risks.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is requesting the EPA to broaden its investigation into the Bridgeton Landfill, suggesting that the contamination could go beyond what was initially believed. However, the EPA has yet to confirm any radioactive contamination at the Bridgeton site. Kellen Ashford, an EPA spokesperson, stated that the agency is still reviewing the state’s request and lacks new evidence to suggest radiological contamination at Bridgeton.
While the EPA remains skeptical, Missouri’s DNR continues to push for further oversight and investigation into the matter, emphasizing the potential risks to public health and the environment.
Key Concerns About the Smoldering Landfill:
- Subsurface Fire: The ongoing smoldering event raises concerns about potential radioactive contamination from nearby waste.
- Proximity to West Lake Landfill: Bridgeton’s proximity to the radiologically-contaminated West Lake Landfill increases the risk of cross-contamination.
Longstanding Radioactive Waste Issues in St. Louis
The St. Louis area has a long history of dealing with radioactive waste dating back to the 1940s. During World War II, uranium was processed at a facility in downtown St. Louis as part of the effort to build the atomic bomb. After the war, waste from this process was dumped into local landfills, including Coldwater Creek and the West Lake Landfill.
The West Lake Landfill, where some of this radioactive waste was illegally dumped in the 1970s, has been the focus of intense environmental scrutiny ever since. The EPA is in the final stages of planning a major excavation project to remove thousands of tons of contaminated materials from the landfill. However, even with this progress, the discovery of additional contamination has caused the cost of cleanup to rise to nearly $400 million.
For years, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) oversaw radiation measurements at the landfill. However, earlier aerial surveys in the 1970s missed significant contamination, contributing to the misunderstanding of the full scope of the problem. This gap in the initial cleanup efforts led to the discovery of additional contamination, resulting in the EPA’s decision to expand the excavation efforts.
Expanded Cleanup Efforts at West Lake Landfill
In light of new findings, the EPA announced last week that it would expand its cleanup plan for the West Lake Landfill. The revised plan now includes an additional 40 acres of land and will require crews to excavate 20,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris. This expansion is expected to drive the cost of the cleanup to an estimated $400 million, further highlighting the scope of the issue.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has expressed support for the expanded cleanup but is also calling for a broader review of potential contamination at neighboring properties, including the Bridgeton Landfill. Missouri’s DNR believes that the federal government should assume leadership in managing the cleanup efforts for all potentially impacted sites in the region.
- EPA’s Expanded Effort: The EPA’s decision to broaden its excavation efforts at West Lake Landfill is expected to cost nearly $400 million.
- DNR’s Request for Broader Oversight: The state agency advocates for the EPA to oversee cleanup efforts at both the West Lake and Bridgeton Landfills.
Unanswered Questions and Ongoing Debate
Despite the state’s concerns, Republic Services, the company that owns the Bridgeton Landfill, has vehemently denied the existence of any radioactive contamination at the site. The company maintains that there is no evidence of radiological materials in the landfill, despite the growing calls for further investigation.
As of now, the EPA has yet to confirm the state’s suspicions, though discussions and further analysis are ongoing. Local residents continue to voice concerns about the health and environmental risks posed by the nearby landfills, and many are hoping for more transparency and quicker action from both the state and federal agencies involved.
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