Major radioactive waste plagues Missouri school at WWII nuke site

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Major radioactive contamination plagues a suburban elementary school in St. Louis, where nuclear weapons were produced during World War II, according to a report published by Boston Chemical Data Corporation.  

The report, with evidence and backing, cemented fears regarding possible contamination at Jana Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District in Florissant; an accusation that was brought up by a previous Army Corps of Engineers study. 

Samples were taken from the school back in August, revealed the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

There was no mention of who requested or funded the report. 

The President of the Jana parent-teacher association, Ashley Bernaugh, lamented that she was "heartbroken," noting that she has a son enrolled at the school. “It sounds so cliché, but it takes your breath from you.”

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The school is located on the floodplain of Coldwater Creek. The water body during WWII was contaminated by nuclear waste from weapons production. 

After production, the waste was dumped near the St. Louis Lambert International Airport, next to the creek flowing to the Missouri River.

The Army's Corps of Engineers have been cleaning the river for more than two decades.

According to the Corps' report, there was contamination in the area but at lower levels, but no samples within the vicinities of the school were taken, however. The most recent report took samples from the school's kitchen, classrooms, fields, libraries, and playgrounds. 

Lead-210, polonium, radium, and other toxic contaminants were found in excess. Dust samples that were taken from the school were also found to be contaminated. 

“A significant remedial program will be required to bring conditions at the school in line with expectations,” the report said.

The findings are expected to be a major topic of discussion in the school board meeting on Tuesday. 

In a statement, the district announced that it will be consulting its attorneys and experts to look into the next steps: “Safety is absolutely our top priority for our staff and students.” 

Radioactive Substances and Pesticides Found in US Tap Water

Over the last two years, US water utilities and authorities have detected 56 new pollutants in drinking water, including harmful compounds related to diseases like cancer, infertility, liver illness, and numerous more.

According to The Guardian, the finding is part of an investigation into the pollution records of the country's water services conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a clean water organization that has just updated its database since 2019. 

They found that the increase is being fueled by newly discovered PFAS, a dangerous family of "forever chemicals," used across dozens of sectors, and suspected to be poisoning the water of over 100 million people.