Nuclear Disaster in the US : How Bechtel Is Botching the World’s Costliest Environmental Cleanup | | AlterNet
►http://www.alternet.org/story/152816/nuclear_disaster_in_the_us%3A_how_bechtel_is_botching_the_world%27s_costli
Autant passionnant qu’inquiétant. Comment organiser le nettoyage de la plus grande décharge radio-active des États-Unis, alors que les techniques employées ne sont pas fiables ? Comment piloter un entrepreuneur externe de la taille et puissance de Bechtel alors qu’il n’y a pas assez de spécialistes au DOE ?
McNulty is concerned that Bechtel and DOE management are ignoring sound science, moving forward with a project that has failed small-scale testing on numerous occasions. These tests have shown that solids end up accumulating into small piles, causing the mixers to malfunction. The substances that build up during the mixing process, these studies note, are far more dense and cohesive than originally thought. Consequently, the mixers will likely fail. If these small-scale studies are correct, and the pulse jet mixers start mixing waste, this could cause a radioactive accident.
“We took Dr. Alexander’s report into consideration and determined there was no imminent risk to safety if the heads were welded on [the non-Newtonian vessels],” says DOE spokesperson Carrie Meyer. “In the end we looked at the bottom line of the project, and it was a business decision to move forward .”