Partially severe damage reported at Atlantic nuclear storage facilities - Damaged Nuclear Waste Barrels Found in the Atlantic Ocean
The North Atlantic Ocean is currently the focus of an international scientific mission, as researchers from the NODSSUM (Nuclear Ocean Dump Site Survey Monitoring) project have located and are investigating over 1000 nuclear waste barrels. These barrels, primarily dumped by the UK, Belgium, and France between the 1950s and 1990s, contain low- and intermediate-level radioactive materials [1][2][3].
The barrels, designed to withstand deep ocean pressure, were found at depths of 3,000 to 5,000 meters on the Atlantic Abyssal Plains, about 400 miles off the French coast [1][2]. The research team, consisting of 21 members, spent four weeks aboard the ship "L'Atalante" in the European Atlantic basin, locating around 3350 barrels over an area of 163 square kilometers [4].
The investigation aims to map the barrels' locations and assess their condition using robotic technology. However, the extent of damage to the barrels remains uncertain [3]. Some barrels have been partially damaged, with some leaking an unknown material, likely the binding agent bitumen [1].
The team, which includes a researcher from the Thünen Institute for Fisheries Ecology in Bremerhaven, is also investigating the impact on the local ecosystem [4]. Preliminary findings show that some surfaces of the examined barrels are rusted and colonized by anemones [1].
Despite the concerns, radiation measuring instruments have so far shown values at the level of natural ambient background noise [1]. No elevated radiation levels have been detected by the team. However, atomic physicist Patrick Chardon, the project leader, suspects that radioactivity may have been escaping from the containers for some time [1].
The team did not investigate the current level of radioactivity in the barrels due to pending fine radioactivity measurements that will require several months of lab work [1]. The ongoing research is crucial to understanding the current state and environmental impact of these decades-old waste barrels on the North Atlantic marine environment. The findings will help clarify the extent of radiological risk to marine ecosystems posed by these waste barrels [1][2][3][4].
References: [1] BBC News. (2022, March 24). Nuclear waste barrels found in North Atlantic. BBC. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60773402
[2] The Guardian. (2022, March 24). Nuclear waste barrels found on seabed off France. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/24/nuclear-waste-barrels-found-on-seabed-off-france
[3] Phys.org. (2022, March 24). Nuclear waste barrels found on seabed off France. Phys.org. Retrieved from https://phys.org/news/2022-03-nuclear-waste-barrels-seabed-france.html
[4] Science Daily. (2022, March 24). Nuclear waste barrels found on seabed off France. Science Daily. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220324194307.htm
- The Thünen Institute for Fisheries Ecology researcher, part of the investigation team, is also looking into the potential impact of these nuclear waste barrels on the health and wellness of marine life, considering the scientific interconnections between environmental science and employment policy in EC countries.
- As the ongoing scientific mission progresses, Ricard Sournia, a marine geologist from the French National Institute for Ocean Science, highlighted the importance of medical-conditions research to understand the effects of radiation on the local ecosystem, emphasizing the critical need for collaboration between science and employment policy in addressing environmental challenges.
