Chernobyl Questions

1. Who was responsible for the tragedy of Chernobyl?

2. Why was Chernobyl also referred to as "Stalingrad?"

3. How did Chernobyl accelerate the collapse of the Soviet Union?

4. Who was the head of shift when the reactor exploded?

5. How much radioactive debris was expelled in the explosion?

question for the panel

1. In the event that one of the drainage trenches breaches and the chemicals start to rise uo again what will happen to the surrounding area of residents?

2. Once the chemicals decompose, will they be removed or will they just be left in the canal?

3. Are the guards present at the site 24 hours a day, or is there a lapse in security, and what kind of background checks are done on the guards?

4. Is the synthetic liner that covers the 40-acre area impermeable?

5. How tall is the fence surrounding the Love Canal, and is it electrified?

1. The precipitation began to become torrential and the ground absorbed so much water and snow that the chemicals were pushed to the surface.

2. Many of the chemicals caused cancer, metal retardation, epilepsy, autism, extra rows of teeth and missing body parts.

3. The soil of the ground at Love Canal isn't fertile anymore. The water surrounding the Love Canal has to be constantly filtered and treated. Since the canal is now covered in plastic, plants cannot grow and life cannot be supported there.

Susan Shaw's Lecture on the Oil Spill

The lecture given by Susan Shaw brought up many new facts that I wouldn't have known about. She spoke about the fact that priorities are being mixed up, the clean-up efforts are becoming counter-productive and that the environment will be the one who has to pay the price.

Shaw mentioned that the government and BP were making an enormous effort to protect the marshes, and close to nothing to protect the ocean. They wanted to protect mankind from the effect of the oil in the Gulf, are leaving the animals to die in the water. She explained that even with the effort to protect mankind from the oil, that numerous accounts of men on the cleanup ships passing out because of the volatile fumes coming up from the oil slick on the surface.

Another point that Susan Shaw brought up was that the clean-up efforts were becoming counter-productive. Corexit 9500, the chemical they are using to breakdown the oil, is even more toxic than oil, and we are approaching the 2 Million gallon mark with it. Even if we clean up the oil, it is leaving behind the Corexit, which will still kill the wildlife.

Chemical Dispersants

Were/are there any alternative to using chemical dispersants?

If the birds fly through the chemical mist as it is being laid down, what happens to the bird?

How long does it take for the oil to break down?