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Documented and acknowledged by a government agency soil and water contamination
INDEX RELEVANT ARTICLES How it probably happenedRecognized by Government Contaminants on site.
Reported contamination by the Environmental Organization Planet Hazard
Possible beryllium contamination
Links to become informed you about Tetrachloroethylene
Information on Ammonium perchlorate (AP)
Transcript from CDC Interview regarding Atomics International
1967 - CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL WARFARE AERIAL BOMBS
background on teargas cluster bombs http://tinyurl.com/yo72n2The atomization of a solution of 2, 4-dihydroxy-benzophenone in bis (2-ethylexyl) hydrogen phosphite. 1962 - Beryllium
Here is an article on how the contamination probably occurred. It is specific to other locations in California but the same industry: - Note the visual insert is an effort to clarify how we all are effected by this issue. The insert does not accompany the article on Percholates.
Perchlorate contamination of
groundwater is the result of a combination
of processes: manufacturing, rocket and fuel development, testing and
maintenance. In each process, for more than 50 years the chemical
industry, defense contractors or the military disposed of millions of
pounds of perchlorate waste by simply flushing it with high-pressure
water jets. The waste stream was enormous, because if a launch-ready
rocket sits idle for too long, the fuel can go "flat" and hundreds of
thousands of pounds of perchlorate must be replaced with a fresh
supply. A space shuttle rocket motor, for instance, contains about
700,000 pounds of perchlorate. (NASA 1989.) Flushing generates large
volumes of wastewater contaminated with perchlorate at levels up to 1
percent of the total volume. (EPA 1998; EPA 2001c.) For decades, the
wastewater was either allowed to drain directly into the ground or, as
in Sacramento County, pumped into abandoned gold-mining pits. (JAWA
1957.)
Regulatory Profile
http://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/profile_report.asp?global_id=19370366
12200 Bellflower Blvd Downey, CA 90242
Get Directions(562) 622-4150
and
9449 Imperial Hwy Downey, CA 90242 PAST USE(S) THAT CAUSED CONTAMINATION AEROSPACE ROCKET TESTING/LAUNCH, AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING/MAINTENANCE, MANUFACTURING - INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY, RESEARCH - AEROSPACE POTENTIAL CONTAMINANTS OF CONCERN ARSENIC - CONFIRMED TETRACHLOROETHYLENE (PCE) - CONFIRMED TRICHLOROETHYLENE (TCE) - CONFIRMED POTENTIAL MEDIA AFFECTED OTHER GROUNDWATER AFFECTED (USES OTHER THAN DRINKING WATER), SOIL, INDOOR AIR, SOIL VAPORAccording to Google Maps this property extends from Bellflower Blvd. to Lakewood Blvd, Imperial Blvd. is the cross street. It is 165 acres. The NASA property was titled under the Lakewood Blvd. address. Kaiser advertises that they are fronting on the Bellflower Blvd. side of the property.
Until 1929, the 165-acre tract of land that comprises the former NASA Industrial Plant Site was used for crop production. After 1929, a conventional aircraft manufacturing facility was sited on the land. In the 1960's the Site was used for research development of vehicles suitable for space travel. NASA ceased its operation at the Site in 1997. In 2002, a Voluntary Cleanup Agreement was entered into by DTSC and the site proponent, Kaiser Health Foundation, to conduct a Preliminary Endangerment Assessment for Parcels II and IV of the Site. These parcels are proposed for a hospital complex development. Results from the PEA indicated that a VOC plume from an offsite source was migrating beneath the proposed hospital complex. In November 2004, DTSC approved the PEA Report provided that institutional controls be incorporated into the development. Additionally, the Regional Water Quality Control Board had implemented a remedy for the offsite VOC plume.
DOCUMENT TYPE DATE COMPLETED COMMENTS Preliminary Endangerment Assessment Report 11/4/2004 VCA Voluntary Clean-up Agreement 11/7/2002 A Voluntary Cleanup Agreement was signed by DTSC and Kaiser Health Foundation on November 7, 2002. The purpose of the VCA is to conduct a PEA on Parcels II and IV of the Site. Parcels II and IV are being proposed for hospital complex development. Site Screening 1/20/1995 Site was identified from a non-emergency release report dated 12-23-94. Ground water at the site is contaminated with TCE and PCE. Due to evidence of a release of hazardous waste, a PEA is required. A letter of notification has been sent to the contact person.California Regional Water Quality Board http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb4/html/eo_reports/past_eo/03_1106_eorpt6nov2003.pdf
https://kaiserpapers.com/downey/pdfs/03_1106_eorpt6nov2003.pdf
Remediation Section
Early Transfer of Former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) facility to the City of Downey
John Geroch
On September 15, 2003 Governor Davis approved the early transfer of Parcels 1 and 2 of the former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) facility to the City of Downey (City). The approval of the early transfer allows the City to take possession of the facility and begin expedited cleanup of remaining soil and groundwater contamination and initiate redevelopment of the former facility. In a press release Governor Davis stated
"This transfer is good for the environment and good for the Southland's economy,…..Overcoming the final hurdle for this transfer paves the way for the creation of at least 4,000 new quality jobs and accelerates the cleanup of precious groundwater resources."
On October 1, 2003, Winston Hickox, Secretary for Environmental Protection visited the former NASA facility. Mr. Hickox conducted a tour of the facility and was informed about the proposed redevelopment which includes a movies studio, retail center and new Kaiser hospital to serve the surrounding community.
Soil remediation is about 80% complete. A groundwater remediation action plan has been approved by the Regional Board staff. Groundwater remediation is expected to begin early 2004.
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/tbd/rescon/appen-b3.pdf DOE ES&H Website: The Atomics International Division of North American Aviation is a statutory beryllium vendor under the EEOICPA. Atomics International worked with beryllium and radioactive materials under contract with the Atomic Energy Commission at numerous locations. These locations include, but are not necessarily limited to, Area IV of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, portions of the Downey facility, the Vanowen Building at the Canoga facility and the De Soto facility.
A beryllium inventory dated 1949 and a document dealing with beryllium hazards was all that could be found. It could not be determined if the beryllium activities for the contract work were conducted in separate parts of the facility away from work for other customers. Even though DOE remediation ended in 1999, there is no indication this included beryllium decontamination.
Telephone conversations with current company officials (Boeing Company) provided the following information: (1) beryllium work involved research for and production of beryllium reflectors at three different sites—(a) Vanowen Building (#38)-demolished in 2004; (b) DeSoto Avenue Building (#101)-demolished in 2004; and Santa Susana site-most buildings demolished over the years; (2) no records were provided about beryllium decontamination; and (3) current remediation mainly deals with sodium.
Since there is no documentation regarding beryllium decontamination, the presence of residual beryllium contamination cannot be ruled out.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts18.html Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp18.html http://en.wikipedia.info/wiki/Tetrachloroethylene http://www.dhs.ca.gov/OHB/HESIS/perc.htm http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/tet-ethy.html
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/tbd/outreach/wom041906.pdf
Mr. Meiners continued: The Site Description includes radiation doses received at four areas for the years specified: • De Soto Avenue from 1959 – 1998. • Area IV from 1954 – 1999. • Vanowen Building from 1954 – 1960. • Downey Site from 1948 – 1955.
Question:
The Downey Site… Was that in Downey, California, or is that in Santa Susana?
Response (from another Council member):
The Downey facility was where they are building the new Kaiser-Permanente hospital.
Response:
That is in the middle of our area.
Mel Chew: I will be talking about that. There will be some minor changes in the Site Profile regarding these different facilities.
The Medical Dose section describes the medical X-ray programs that were in place during the contract periods. This section discusses which workers may have received radiation exposure from medical X-rays required as a condition of their employment, as well as the frequency and types of X-rays that were regularly required, and how the medical program changed over time. If site-specific information on the frequency of X-ray examinations is not available, NIOSH assumes one chest X-ray per employee per year for dose reconstruction purposes.
Question:
Would X-rays that are part of physical examination not required by an employer be considered?
Steve Meiners:
No, only X-rays that are required as a condition of employment are included. The Environmental Dose section is included to consider the sources of radiation in the workplace for workers who were not monitored in the dosimetry and/or bioassay programs. Internal environmental doses are based on air monitoring data from the four facilities for specific radionuclides during specific periods of time. The internal environmental dose also considers inadvertent soil ingestion for strontium-90 and plutonium-239 for the DeSoto Avenue facility from 1959-1999 and for Area IV from 1954-1999; and accounts for inadvertent soil ingestion of strontium-90 only for the Vanowen Building from 1954-1960 and the Downey Site from 1952 -1956. External environmental doses are based on annual external doses for the four different facilities for specific periods of time. The external environmental doses are calculated from measured data from 1975-1999, and are estimated from 1952-1974.
Comment:
You would be surprised how many construction workers wind up sitting on the ground while they are eating their lunch.
The USA has seven factories manufacturing depleted uranium ammunition at Paducah , Ohio ; Portsmouth , Kentucky ; Oak Ridge , Tennesee; Aerojet Ordnance at Downey , Calif. ; Honeywell at Hopkins , Minnesota ; and Alliant Techsystems in Edina , Minnesota . Many planes, helicopters, tanks, ships, and missiles use this radioactive material (15). A Japanese physicist, Dr. Katsumaa Yakasaki, has estimated that the radiation fallout from weapons testing and the use of depleted uranium munitions, amounts to the fallout from 400,000 Nagasaki bombs (16). http://www.icucec.org Article mirrored at: http://politicsnpoetry.wordpress.com/2006/11/17/the-problem-with-nuclear-part-i/