Antidote
Episode 35
How the Manhattan Project Made St. Louis Radioactive with Author Byron DeLear
St. Louis, and the radioactive contamination of the West Lake landfill by nuclear waste from the Manhattan Project is exposed by Byron DeLear. How St. Louis came to process thousands of tons of uranium, and the way the waste (and liability for cleaning it up) was passed around from company to company is laid out, as we try to keep track of responsibility for the past, and forge a solution for the current problem on Antidote, hosted by Michael Parker.
Episode Breakdown
00:01 Welcoming Byron DeLear to Antidote.
01:13 The national issue of nuclear waste in Missouri-ongoing fallout from the Manhattan Project.
03:13 “Belgian Congo Pitch Blend,” Uranium from Africa that made its way to St. Louis, and eventually gets passed around through auction.
08:09 8,700 tons of uranium material ends up mixed with topsoil, and dumped at the West Lake landfill.
12:39 A hundred different sites of contaminated material.
14:07 St. Louis pays a price for processing the nation’s uranium.
18:44 Who is responsible for clean up?
22:17 Outsourcing responsibility over the public safety.
25:25 Political response to the problem, and the argument over liability.
32:00 Thanks and goodbye.
Guest Bio
Byron DeLear is an author, media producer, enviro-entrepreneur and twice former US House candidate. DeLear keeps his finger on the pulse of a wide range of progressive missions, serves on boards of various NGOs and non-profits.
He is currently running for State Representative - 70th District Missouri.
Additional Links
Follow Byron DeLear on Twitter
http://themissouritimes.com/22720/delear-to-launch-campaign-for-state-representative-thursday/
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