I did not realize that Tennessee was the only State in the United States of America that allowed the commercial burning of radioactive waste. I would imagine that Tennessee is one of the few places in the industrialized world that permits this practice. Has anyone produced a study or report about the environmental effect that burning 41 million pounds of radioactive waste annually has on the overall health of the State of Tennessee? Germany is adding its share to that total by sending 1,000 tons of the stuff to Oak Ridge.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved licenses that will allow up to 1,000 tons of Germany’s low-level radioactive waste to be brought to Oak Ridge, Tenn., for incineration......The state already receives 75 percent of the nation’s low-level radioactive waste...according to state records.
Who approved the burning of commercial radioactive waste in the Tennessee Legislature? Every atomic country around the world will have Tennessee on speed-dial when it needs to dispose of some low-level radioactive waste. It reminds me of an old Simpsons episode where Homer (whom I believe was Mayor at the time) sold dumping rights permits to neighboring cities for trash disposal in Springfield. The resulting contamination and toxicity required the city to be moved. Unfortunately, there is no where nearby to move the State of Tennessee if burning 20.5 million tons of radioactive waste annually eventually contaminates the countryside.
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