Keeping An Open Mind While Workers get Sick
On
July 27th of this year, a spill involving nuclear waste occurred at
the Hanford nuclear facility. Reports pegged it as the
worst spill in years.
Over
the past weekend, seven
Hanford workers have reported medical symptoms that they believe are linked
to the accident.
The
CH2M Hill Hanford Group, the contractor in charge of the waste spill (and of
the workers) has told the press that (according to reports) “based on its knowledge
of the spill and the chemicals involved, it would not have expected workers to
be exposed to enough chemicals to be harmed.” Nevermind that the symptoms,
which include upper respiratory problems, blurred vision, and headaches, are quite
similar to symptoms reported by Hanford workers in 2003 and 2004 that feared vapor
inhalation.
Regardless
of that, though, Thomas Anderson, CH2M Hill director of environmental health,
was quoted in the Tri-City Herald as stating that “we’re keeping an open mind
on this.”
More
to come.
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