Preservation Aviation Superfund Cleanup EPA 2005

At this Superfund site in North Hollywood, California, two small warehouses were filled to overflowing with more than one million obsolete World War II aircraft gauges, many contaminated with radioactive Radium 226. Additional gauges were found in an outside storage yard in old wooden and cardboard boxes, many of which were leaking. The site was surveyed in 2004 for radiation, and then the gauges segregated into 3 waste streams. It was one of a series of sites involving radium-dial aircraft gauges to which EPA responded. This site was the largest found at that time. The large amount of debris, the poor condition of the site, and lack of security created an extreme fire hazard. Once all gauges were removed, the response teams conducted a detailed assessment of the warehouse buildings and grounds. Enough contamination remained in both areas to warrant removal of the warehouses and paved areas. Improper handling of radioactive materials in large and small industries can create extensive contamination of buildings, equipment, and land. These sites are not only dangerous but are expensive to clean up. http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/index.html . For more information on radiation link to http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/index.html . A good source of information on worker protection from radiation can be found at the US Department of Energy Office of Health, Safety and Security website at: http://www.hss.energy.gov/ . The entire 15 minute DVD, Preservation Aviation Superfund Cleanup, is available for free from the EPA at: http://www.ertvideo.org/Pages/Video.html .