Considering the state of U.S. infrastructure there is no particular cause for surprise. Bridges, buildings, and towers collapse. Occasionally there is some loss of life accompanying these events. With few exceptions the only people who remember these events are the ones fortunate enough to survive and the friends and families of the deceased. Therefore, allow me to refresh your memory.
In Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 1st, 2007 the I35-W bridge over the Mississippi river collapsed. There were 13 killed and 145 injured. The NTSB said that undersized gusset plates, increased concrete surfacing load, and weight of construction supplies/equipment caused this collapse. On October 27th, 2009 on the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge two tension rods and a crossbeam from a recently installed repair collapsed during the evening commute, causing the bridge to be closed temporarily. This time there were no fatalities "only" 1 was person was injured and there was of course the attendant economic loss precipitated by any major thoroughfare closure. In South Boston in 2006 the ceiling of the Big Dig collapsed killing 1 and injuring 1. On July 19th, 2015 a bridge on I-10 in California collapsed resulting in 1 injury. The Delhi Dam failed in Iowa and 8,000 people had to be evacuated. The Big Bay Dam in Mississippi failed and 104 buildings were damaged or destroyed. This list is merely representative of the types of failures of infrastructure within the U.S. it should by no means be considered to be comprehensive.
The events listed in the preceding paragraph have myriad causes, structural failure, meteorological, operator error. They also are, hopefully, singular events which except for the loss of life can be corrected and prevented in the future.
The collapse of the tunnel at the Hanford Nuclear reservation is a much more significant event. Within the tunnel there is about 780 cubic yards of radioactive waste. This is a result of the extraction of plutonium for nuclear weapons. The Energy Department, the party responsible for oversight, has been aware of the susceptibility of the waste storage areas to failure. You may determine this in their own reports.
On June 1, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Enforcement issued a Consent Order (NCO-2015-02) to Bechtel National, Inc., the management and operating contractor for DOE’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), for deficiencies in nuclear safety associated with misalignment between design documents and facility authorization bases; welds in vessels fabricated for and accepted at the plant; and implementation of WTP quality assurance and corrective action management programs. The contractor agreed to the Consent Order.
On April 25, 2014, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Health, Safety and Security's Office of Enforcement and Oversight issued an Enforcement Letter (NEL-2014-01) to CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company relating to the discovery of a sealed radioactive source found outside its shielded assembly, resulting in unexpected radiological doses to four individuals at the Plutonium Finishing Plant at DOE's Hanford Site.
On September 13, 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Health, Safety and Security’s Office of Enforcement and Oversight issued an Enforcement Letter (NEL-2012-02) to CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company related to a series of radiological work deficiencies at the Plutonium Finishing Plant and 105 K-East Reactor Facility at DOE's Hanford Site.
There are additional shortcomings and deficiencies that have been noted by the DOE for this same facility. Now the DOE is faced with a potentially catastrophic event. Here is their response. They have contracted with CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company(CH2M) to place a plastic cover over the tunnel and secure it on the sides with heavy concrete blocks.
If the only concern proceeding from this event was to insure no one could be injured by entering the area this is probably a sufficient precaution. However, this is not the case. We are discussing a nuclear materials incident. I will assume the tunnel was lined with concrete for additional protection and security. It seems practical to assume as well that tons of dirt and debris suddenly being moved to contact with a concrete lining would result in compromise of this containment system. The cover placed by CH2M has a high density polyethylene woven core. It is resistant to puncture, abrasion, chemicals, ultraviolet rays and oxidation. According to the agency it will also limit water intrusion to the tunnel.
I do not find this particularly comforting. This is an enclosed space that has been subject to alpha and beta emissions for decades. The materials, containers, and enclosure itself are saturated with radiation. There is what I would consider a substantial risk of ground water contamination. The Hanford Nuclear reservation is adjacent to the Columbia river. Furthermore, with the collapse, there is no longer a definitive understanding of the configuration in which these materials exist. In the world of radioactive materials this is a vital component of safety and security.
I worry about environmental degradation as a result of petroleum pipeline failures. I find the idea of invisible plumes of radioactive particles snaking across the country to be scary as hell.
Whaduyathink?
