Since 2000, tourists visiting the Grand Canyon have been exposed to radiation from three five-gallon buckets of uranium ore. For many years, children and adults have taken tours and been surrounded by the radiation for 30 minutes on end. Elston Stephenson has alerted the national park executives many times by now to have them inform the public of the safety and health risks at hand; however, he was turned down every time. The buckets of uranium have since been removed from park by a team of technicians who dumped the uranium in an old, uranium dig called Orphan Mine. As of now, February 18, Stephenson has not been given anymore information of the matter, and believes Park Services are trying to cover up this shocking scandal.
This article was published in USA Today and written by a Dennis Wagner from Arizona. This article came out today at 11:37, so it is very recent information. This article contains many facts rather than opinions and has many quotes from people and officials involved in the matter to add to credibility and facts. This article was written to inform the public of the health and safety issues that tourists have been exposed to for the past 19 years. This is an important problem to be aware of to see that people’s priorities are not for the safety of the public. This reminds me of the times where meat packing factories had poor conditions and health standards to the point where it was a danger for the health of the consumers.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2019/02/18/grand-canyon-tourists-exposed-radiation-safety-manager-says/2905358002/
This is insane. I wonder what lengths they had to go to to keep it covered for almost two decades.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that people tried to bring it to the governments attention and were ignored is the most startling part
DeleteHaving visited the Grand Canyon, I am extremely concerned that this radiation was covered up for so long. Also, I am somewhat confused on how the radiation was "cleaned up." Maybe there is no way to truly destroy radiation, but there surely must be a better solution than dumping it in an old mine.
ReplyDeleteIt is impossible to truly clean up radiation as most radioactive isotopes have half lives of thousand of years
DeleteWhat?! This is crazy! I wonder how many people are estimated to have been exposed to the radiation?
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many of these people will seek legal action
DeleteShouldn't they want to conserve the landmark above all else? They are thinking short term instead or realizing the possible long time damage that is possible if nothing is done.
ReplyDeleteYes that is very true. Wasn't the Grand Canyon a reserve to save the canyon and not for amusement originally?
Delete-Bryn Bohannan
Good thing I don't go outside
ReplyDelete