I have previously posted about the improper disposal of oil filter socks in North Dakota fracking operations. The filter socks are tubular nets that strain liquids during the fracking oil production process. The used filters contain small amounts of naturally occurring radioactive materials. There are legal restrictions that are intended to prevent the disposal of the filters in standard landfills.
Twenty eight years ago, an explosion and fire at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine released huge amounts of radioactive particles into the atmosphere. The contamination spread over the western U.S.S.R. and Europe. Half a million workers fought the aftermath of the disaster and were involved in the cleanup. A half a billion dollars were ultimately spent. There is an exclusion zone eighteen miles in radius around the ruins of the Chernobyl plant.
