U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environment, Safety, and Health. Independent investigation of the East Tennessee Technology Park. Vol. 1: Past environment, safety, and health practices. October 2000 Excerpts: "Conservative estimates indicated that 35,000 pounds of uranium were released into the air from all sources. 4,300 pounds of uranium a month was unaccounted for or released to the environment. ETTP operates an incinerator which handles radioactive, hazardous and uranium-contaminated PCB wastes. ETTP generated transuranic elements (isotopes with atomic numbers greater than uranium) such as neptunium-237 and plutonium-239; fission products such as techneitum-99; PCBs; toxic metals; and volatile organic compunds such as trichloroethene (TCE) and present risk to the public. Some contaminants migrated outside the Plant boundary. Waste disposal practices included direct discharge of radioactive materials, toxics and caustics to holding ponds and storm drains, and incineration and burial. Reports reflected a number of spills of nitric and hydrochloric acids, in one case 200 gallons. Numerous large fires and explosions were reported. It is impossible to characterize exposure because of inadequate surveys and incomplete records. Records indicate that as contamination levels increased, exposure controls were reduced. Contamination above limits was commonly detected. Operations have released a variety of contaminants into the environment, such as burial of low-level and hazardous waste in landfills and dumping directly into the Clinch River. Large amounts of contaminated equipment and scrap material were sold at public auction. Tens of thousands of pounds of flourine and hydrogen flouride were emitted annually. The investigation team identified over 600 releases of uranium hexaflouride, and a large, visible cloud was released outside a building. Exposure to 'intense clouds' of uranium powder dusts was prevalent and resulted in intense beta radiation fields. Each month dozens or workers were identified as having exposures exceeding plant control guides. Extensive contamination was prevalent. Recordsindicate many air samples in excess of Plant Allowable Limits. Both chemical and radiological materials have routinely been discharged from the Plant, from both sanitary sewage and storm water systems and materials were directly discharged in Mitchell Branch and Poplar Creek. One million pounds of blowdown water was discharged a day. The hexavalent chromium concentration in Poplar Creek is equal to the level regulated by the site's permit. Contents of 500 uranium hexafloride and other gas cylinders were emptied into the unlined holding pond by shooting the cylinders with high-powered rifles, and this pond discharged into Poplar Creek. Records confirm that radiation exceeded drinking water standards. Over 80,000 drums of pond sludge with low concentrations of uranium were generated in 1988. Ventilation was modified to discharge mercury fumes above the roof. Elevated levels of mercury were found in urinalyses. Records refer to the recovery of tons of mercury. Traps would blow out spilling mercury on the floor. Air sampling in the 1990s identified mercury levels several times the Threshold Limit Value. Continual and volumnous process leaks (blowoffs) were vented to the atmosphere. 4,300 pounds of uranium hexaflouride were released per month. Losses were excessive. 10,000 union grievances were filed and management disputed grievances concerning safety in favor of economic considerations. Many storm drains were not moitored before 1992, and routine and accidental wastes have adversely impacted the environment and the aquatic habitat. Weaknesses in the sampling and monitoring of air pollutant emissions raise concerns regarding the accuracy of public dose and exposure calculations. Environmental radiological protection and surveillance are not compliant with DOE Order. Few records reflect involvement by the Atomic Energy Commission in investigations of serious events. Levels of airborne radioactivity were as high as 35,800 dpm/ft3, and far exceeded the PAL of 2 dpm/ft3. [That's radiation levels over 17,000 times the maximum limit.] Airborne radioactivity far in excess of normal background levels was measured off-site as far as five miles away. A number of criticality and sub-criticality accident experiments were performed and posed a severe radiation hazard. Bladder cancer rates were seven times higher than for the general population, and stomach ulcers were 6.5 times greater. Inhalation of airborn radiation can increase the risk of future cancer." [verbatum from the Report] NOTE: This report only covered the K-25 plant, not the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration's Y-12 nuclear bombs factory, not the thousands of contaminated lab rats from ORNL's Y-12 nuclear bombs factory Mouse House that are incinerated at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in downtown Knoxville, and did not cover Top Secret "criticality" pollution, "referred to as 'special hazards'" (ie, "small" explosions due to accidental nuclear reactions), and "are discussed in a separate classifed document." The GOPS government of Tennessee previously gave ETTP/ORNL a clean bill of health in 1999. This report was reclassified Top secret by US Dept of Homeland Security after 9.11.2001. "OAK RIDGE - Tennessee residents have collected more than $1 billion from the federal compensation program for sick nuclear workers - far and away the most of any state. The Department of Labor announced the milestone today. The federal agency said it had paid more than $1 billion in compensation and medical benefits to 9,134 Tennessee residents under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. Nationwide, since the act was implemented in 2001, the Dept. of Labor said it had paid 51,331 claimants more than $4,8 billion in compensation and medical benefits. In a statement released by DOL, Rachel Leiton, director of the Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation, said: 'Many covered facilities, including the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (K-25) and the Y-12 Plant, are located in the state of Tennessee. Individuals who worked at these and other covered facilities located throughout the state sacrificed their health to build this nation's nuclear defense programs. Therefore, I am proud to be able to announce that the department has paid more than $1 billion in benefits to deserving Tennessee residents. But we also believe that there may be others eligible in Tennessee who have not yet filed for these benefits.' The Dept. of Labor encouraged potential claimaints to call this toll-free number: 1-866-481-0411." —Frank Munger Blog, editor, Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tennessee's sick nuclear worker compensation reaches $1-Billion, May 26, 2009 (censored from newspaper) http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/may/26/tennessees-sick-nuclear-worker-compensation-reache/ More reports on deadly air pollution by the federal government in East TN. Knoxville TN ranked #1 most polluted city in USA: http://geocities.com/knoxville_tn_epa/ http://piratenews.org/newslinks.html http://PirateNewsProductions.com