Wednesday 8 February 2017

Massive sinkhole that swallowed 215 million gallons of radioactive water drained into the aquifer system which supplies drinking water to millions of Americans

Photo AP
A sinkhole in Florida has swallowed 215 million gallons of radioactive water, leaving residents fearing to shower.
The sinkhole is now in the process of getting filled in.
A massive sinkhole at a Florida fertilizer plant that swallowed more than 200 million gallons of radioactive water is now in the process of being filled.
The toxic sinkhole that opened up at the Mosaic's New Wales plant in Mulberry, Florida, is being sealed by a concrete mixture.


Photo The Weather Channel
Video taken from WFTS-TV's helicopter last week showed a built-up ring around the hole as crews have begun pumping the mixture inside.
The sinkhole, which measures 45 feet in diameter and is 300 feet deep, opened up beneath a pile of waste material at Mosaic, the world's largest supplier of phosphate.
The Daily Mail reported a storage pond containing 215 million gallons of radioactive water sat atop the waste mineral pile and drained into the aquifer system, which supplies drinking water to millions of residents.
Aquifers are vast, underground systems of porous rocks that hold water and allow it to move through the holes within the rock.
Since then, workers and contractors have been trying to figure out the best way to stabilize and fill the hole.

The Floridian aquifer, one of the highest producing in the world, is the principal source of groundwater for most of the state, and extends into southern Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.

70 comments:

Unknown said...

Water is not radioactive. The only isotope that can be made from O16 in water is N16. N16 has a half life of 7.5 seconds. Contamination in the water can be radioactive, but a simple carbon filter will remove that.

I do this for a living. People panic when they hear radiation. You get more smoking in a year then I have from over a decade of reactor plant operations.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the information!

Unknown said...

Lots of people who need drinking water don't smoke ffs. Like children...and I'm sure the half life is more than a year. Anyone with knowledge that ISN'T INDOCTRINATED BY HIS EMPLOYER want to chime in?

Unknown said...

Really, then why hasn't Fukushima been cleaned up. It is contaminating the water from Japan to the Pacific Coast. Scientist say there is no way to clean it up.

sizemik said...

Pure H2O is pretty rare, you're talking distilled water. Hardly equates with ground water. So just issue the human and animal population across 3 states with carbon filters - sorted.

sizemik said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sizemik said...

People don't panic when they hear radiation they become concerned and want answers and rightly so. A condescending brushoff from a self-appointed internet expert doesn't cut it. Nice try though.

JaneByrd said...

Accident? Just like building fukishma on a fault line? Dakota pipeline drilling? Trump now president, seems all a bit sus to me...Seems like its done on purpose...feeling so sorry for all those in America right now...feeling for you all ......

Timothy.W said...

Maybe the Nuclear Reactors that used special filtration system to filter out toxic metals singularly can offer up tips to free us from the toxic burdens? Maybe, you hink they would tell us what filters are good for specific particles?

Unknown said...

Carbon and ionic. What one misses, the other gets.

Anonymous said...

Please ask for a bonus from your employer...I hear Mosaic is hiring.

Unknown said...

Water is water is water. It's what's in it that can be bad. Depending on the isotope, the actual element can be worse then the radiation.

BTW, you get radiation eating a banana, or anything else high in potassium. You get more from the sun in a year then I have in a decade of operations. The ground is radioactive. Fly cross country and you get a good amount. Look up the numbers.

As for Fukushima? Melted fuel is a solid. Great deal of difference between contaminated water and a large chunk of radioactive metal.

Unknown said...

And for all the news about it, actual radiation levels outside the shielded volumes are not that much higher then normal. We are just VERY conservative when we set limits.

Anonymous said...

In the same process you should get a vocabulary that is acceptable outside of the hood.Would you talk to your mother or grandmother that way?

Anonymous said...

How about you do your own research instead of attacking someone who actually knows what he is talking about. I guess ignorance is bliss for you huh?

Unknown said...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sievert#/media/File:Radiation_Dose_Chart_by_Xkcd.png

Take a look at this, educate yourselves.

Granted, if we knew what contaminants were in the water, I could give a more specific response.

Unknown said...

You get more radiation from eating one banana then you do from living near a reactor for a year.

Unknown said...

Not a self appointed expert. I am a well trained operator with nearly 2 decades of operational experience.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sievert#/media/File:Radiation_Dose_Chart_by_Xkcd.png

You get more radiation eating a banana then you do living near a reactor for a year.

annon said...

Thank you Shaun for your expertise. Pay no mind to the snowflakes

Unknown said...

I like you shaun williams! ☺

Unknown said...

I like you shaun williams! ☺

Anonymous said...

just want to know...you know that person...personally?

Anonymous said...

Brilliant. How many people saying the same would it take for you to not ask for another opinion? Did you click his links?

Unknown said...

Fukushima wasn't built on a fault line, the entire coast is adjacent to a fault line. Not may options. It wasn't the quake that did it in, it was the stupid backup generators that were at or below sea level and were flooded by the tsunami. If they had been built on the hill we wouldn't be talking about this.

Anonymous said...

When I first read the article I was wondering what material was
contaminating the wate and to what degree.
Fortunately there was a knowledgeable commenter to speak up.

Leuren said...

This is a message to Shaun Williams. I am an international specialist and expert witness on the biological effects of nuclear weapons, radiological weapons, and exotic weapons. I was trained by one of the last Manhattan Project scientists who made the hydrogen bomb work for the US govt. You obviously do not know anything about radiation, you have no training, and no knowledge of anything you have made statements about in this comment section. Tritium is radioactive hydrogen and when attacked to oxygen it makes radioactive water. Natural and man-made radioactive isotopes are contaminants in nearly all drinking water globally from depleted uranium wars used widely since they were introduced by Israel in 1973 in the Arab-Israeli war (Yom Kippur war) - Kissinger gave it to the Israelis to use for the first time on the battlefield. The US has also introduced fission products from nuclear bombs, mini-nukes, neutron bombs, and the Ukraine has been targeting the Novorussia eastern Ukraine population with nuclear warhead missiles causing nuclear bomb detonations in the city of Donetsk equivalent to 20 kt. Your comparison of radiation to a banana is straight out of the Health Physics Soc. that is a global institution set up in the US by the nuclear establishment to lie about radiation and cover up the biological damage from exposure to even very low levels. There is not safe level of radiation no matter how low the amount is. One atom of uranium, under the right conditions, can cause cancer. You are a troll, you don't have any knowledge of radiation, and you have no business or right to deceive the public just because you want to get a paycheck for lying. People's lives matter.

Unknown said...

Thank you Leuren... I've seen a lot of comments like his on articles like this and you're right, he's a troll... although I have little scientific knowledge re things radioactive, you do pick up a little lay knowledge trying to understand the different reports and research papers published since chernobyl... Your comment has the solid ring of credible facts whereas shaun's comment has the rather more tinny ring of 'alternative facts'...

Unknown said...

Leuren, tinfoil much? I never claimed to be an expert. I am simply a well trained operator with nearly 2 decades of operational experience.

BTW, a 20kt detonation would have made the international news. This is regardless of where the detonation was. No non-test detonations have been reported since 1945. If you wish to refute this claim, please provide references like I have.

Anonymous said...

Good morning
All of a sudden some so called expert enters and hijacks the topic and made a political statement
If you cannot provide suggestions or simple solutions to those effected then refrain

Unknown said...

So, Vickie, any information provided with references is alternative fact if you don't agree with it? Congratulations, you are part of the problem in this country today. I have use references to back up my claims and you poo poo it due to disagreement with your world view? A common quote attributed to the great Mark Twain was "It is better for the world to think you are an idiot, then to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

Feel free to get into a intellectual argument on an issue, but be ready to back up what you say with references and other resources. This is why scientific papers have a bibliography at the end.

Unknown said...

BTW, here is link to the Wikipedia article on Tritium. Notice how the US limits how much can be in drinking water is less then a tenth of the WHO limit? There is a reason for that. Also take a look at the biological health effects section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium

Anonymous said...

Thank you Leuren!!!! The Pacific Ocean is a catastrophe in large part thanks to Fukushima, but let's not forget that is where the military dispose of their radioactive waste!! No live Orca births since Fukushima, aquatic life dying by the thousands each day, living creatures bleeding out, malformed and unbelievable tumors.... and scientists have the audacity to scratch their head saying they can't explain it!! If anyone believes there is no danger, wait about 15 years (or less) when the accumulative effects catch up to you ;) - If you believe there is no danger, you are researching in the wrong places!!!

Anonymous said...

LOL Carbon filters???? Seriously!! They can't even clean the waste coming out of our tap water!!! They capture a lot for sure but any test will show that the water you drink after filtering it is still NOT healthy

Anonymous said...

Not commenting on whether your are right it wrong, but wikipedia is not considered an accurate "source" in any situation.

Anonymous said...

Nope, maybe if he had posted a link that didn't start with wiki

Anonymous said...

Carbon filters can be part of an effective filter system as well as anion and cation beads.
Such filters are routinely used to purify radioactive water prior to discharge from nuclear plants.
People that are paranoid of any radiation....
RUN RUN RUN!
GAMMA rays are going through you right now!
Background radiation!!
Run run run!

Tactical Grace said...

Captain anonymous there apparently missed the bit where the Wiki article IS FULLY SOURCED WITH ACCREDITED RESEARCH PAPERS.

Anonymous said...

The fact that the radioactive water was sealed off in concrete seems to suggest that it may have had some element of danger to it.

St!ff M!ttens said...

Water containing radioactive pollutants, it seems. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/29/495936718/giant-sinkhole-at-florida-plant-leaks-polluted-water-into-state-aquifer according to an article on Forbes.com 'Mosaic's phosphate fertilizer plant was storing its "gypsum stack" containing sulfate, gypsum, sodium and radioactive phosphogypsum in a pond nearby the plant.'

Dr. Lee Anthony Looby said...

Shaun Williams. Speaking as person qualified n Thermal Plant Engineering I suggest you change jobs. Read Leuren's comments for a start. Please educate yourself before spreading disinformation.

Deon van Zyl said...

It seems to me the real Troll here, is Leuren. Nuclear weapons used in the NovaRussia? The body being unable to handle radiation? Whom did you "study" under again?

Deon van Zyl said...

Dr. Lee Anthony Looby, if you are the supposed expert on thermal plants, you are awfully quiet on the types of nuclear reactors there are, and when Tritium would be present.

Unknown said...

"radioactivity can be removed by a simple home carbon filter?! Now I've heard everything.

Unknown said...

Yep, unless it is tritium, the carbon filter removes the radioparticles in water. Most radioparticles are ionic so an ionic filter can make the carbon more effective. ANYTHING that purifies water can remove radioactivity. It is not the water that is radioactive, it is what is in it that is.

And yes, heavy water that contains tritium is radioactive pure water. However as I stated, and referenced in the wiki article, actually being exposed to it is negligible in normal quantities. Since some people on here don't like Wikipedia, here is a reference link from an actual university.

http://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/tritium.htm

American Jean, Ancient Activist said...

What a waste of time, energy and bad spelling. I especially enjoyed the error where the respondent meant attached but typed attacked. If his credentials are valid his education lacks the proper use of English and spelling. I kept reading all the comments in hopes that I could learn something. As usual I learned that many people enjoy scamming other people. Whatever.

Unknown said...

And a simple google search for recent orca births refutes your claims. Do not believe everything you hear, research and form your own opinions.

https://www.thedodo.com/orca-whale-birth-calf-j-pod-988436490.html

Stark Inc. said...

Two observations I've noticed here. Leuren and Shaun Williams have opposing ideas. I've noticed Williams is just trying to ease everyone and calm them down. Making them think radiation is a normal part of every day life. That's some straight government propaganda pushing if I ever saw it. Leuren knowns facts that not even our mainstream media will cover. Also in defense of Leuren against Williams who is probably a government troll; Williams stated that if there was a 20kt explosion the media would have covered it. Really?! Maybe Williams you should understand, we don't trust you, we don't trust the media, and we especially don't trust our government. Oh and Tin Foil would only enhance the signal, so stop using Mocking Bird slang to destroy peoples views of each other.

Stark Inc. said...

I could correct your grammar right now. However I'll just point out, his english was good enough to get the point across. If that's all you can nitpick at, then I guess we have less problems then we thought.

Anonymous said...

Its poisonous nough said

Unknown said...

That's fine if you don't trust me. I care not. This is why I backed up all my information with references. Do the research, form your own opinions. An educated person is a much calmer and understanding person. People fear what they do not understand. Understand it and you will not fear it. I understand radiation. I do not fear it.

BTW, trolls just make allegations, they do not backup with external references. I have backed up everything I said with references.

Science is all about references. You cannot claim something is "fact" or "truth" without some way to back it up. Scientific papers ALL have a bibliography at the end. No paper in the scientific community without it will go anywhere and the writer will be labeled a kook.

All I ask is you educate yourself before making allegations.

Randje said...

BA BA BOOM

Unknown said...

For your information, Hiroshima was approximately a 15kt yield. 20kt detonations would be reported SOMEWHERE! A google search for novarussia nuclear yields nothing applicable, books and tv shows only. Links to PBS, and amazon.

http://www.nucleardarkness.org/nuclear/highvslowyield/

fdtre said...

Shawn is lying, he is a government plant... The Pacific is radiated for 200+ years to come and government is LYING...

Eric Siegrist said...

And HEEEEERE we go.... the politics creeps in.
I don't know jack about radiation, but I do know that globalism is the end game plan for EVERYONE that campaigned against Trump, Democrat AND Republican, and that becomes more obvious every day. Trump may not be the "savior" of America, but I have no doubt he will hinder and severely slow down your globalist agenda.

Unknown said...

You're right Dan, the Pacific is radioactive. So are you, your wife, your dog, your house, your plants.....EVERYTHING IS RADIOACTIVE TO A DEGREE! OMG PANIC!. It's called natural background radiation. I urge you to educate yourself. I think I am done here. I have been called a troll by uneducated people who cannot back up their claims. I have been called a government plant.

Idiots.

Simply because you disagree with the information presented does not make it false. BTW this same argument can be made against "climate deniers"

As my quote earlier, congrats, you have removed all doubt.

Anonymous said...

If you guys have no worries drink a couple gallons of that water.

Anonymous said...

I think I would want to err on the side of caution and go with the good Dr.

Unknown said...

Shaun, you sound mostly plausible. But do yourself a favor and learn the difference between then and than. Hard to hear your point when I'm cringing at your inability to distinguish between the two.

Anonymous said...

Everything is radioactive, so it's fine... Wow. How much do you get paid to troll?

gsameer said...

From the number of posts it is easy to figure that Shaun is a troll.

Stephen G. Lonefeather said...

Shawn williams ought to shut the fk up and stop drinking the NRC kool aid

Anonymous said...

I think i'm going to go with the less shit in my water the better

Anonymous said...

Ditto

Unknown said...

Wow.....so if radiation is safe because it's all around us how come the lady who takes my xray has a lead vest on and hides behind a barrier?

Anonymous said...

Dear Jean, there are people from countries outside of america who speak other languages. I don't suppose you speak any other languages? No, thought not. Whinge on.

Anonymous said...

Background radiation at flying altitude has also increased 12% in the last few years. Check spaceweather dot com and see their "Earth Sky Calculus" numbers. I have measured radiation at flying altitudes myself since 2009. I stopped flying in 2014.

Anonymous said...

In case you don't want to go look for it:

This plot displays radiation measurements not only in the stratosphere, but also at aviation altitudes. Dose rates are expessed as multiples of sea level. For instance, we see that boarding a plane that flies at 25,000 feet exposes passengers to dose rates ~10x higher than sea level. At 40,000 feet, the multiplier is closer to 50x. These measurements are made by our usual cosmic ray payload as it passes through aviation altitudes en route to the stratosphere over California.

What is this all about? Approximately once a week, Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus fly space weather balloons to the stratosphere over California. These balloons are equipped with radiation sensors that detect cosmic rays, a surprisingly "down to Earth" form of space weather. Cosmic rays can seed clouds, trigger lightning, and penetrate commercial airplanes. Furthermore, there are studies ( #1, #2, #3, #4) linking cosmic rays with cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in the general population. Our latest measurements show that cosmic rays are intensifying, with an increase of more than 12% since 2015:

Anonymous said...

People: See Dr. Ernest Sternglass' research on radiation after WW2. He did extensive studies on medical radiation, etc, etc. etc. His thoughts were it is dangerous even in very low doses.professor of radiation physics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Unknown said...

Radiation is radiation, mercury is mercury, lead is lead, and so on. If it can kill you or change your DNA then it is bad. The Earth's air, water, and ground are polluted w/ no end in sight. Fukushima Nuclear power plant meltdown is the worst disaster to ever hit our planet. Nature is a delicate balance created by God. The planet will compensate for the imbalance by reducing the threat, which is man.

Anonymous said...

I would point out both Hiroshima and Nagasaki were devastated by nuclear fission events, and people still live and thrive there. There have been undisputed spikes in several heath issues, such as cancers and many other examples, but life does continue despite the radioactive debris which covered the entire area. Don’t let fear grip your heart at the mention of radiation, and while Tritium or Deuterium are radioactive isotopes of hydrogen, they are exceedingly rare. Just a call for calm and common sense.