Isiqingatha-sobomi beMemori: Ukulibaleka 'iAmerican Chernobyl'

Camngca ngale meko: Urhulumente wakha indawo ebalulekileyo yenyukliya kumgama omfutshane ukusuka kwiziko labemi. Ngendlela yokuxubana nokungazi, ukungakhathali kwaye — ngaphezulu kwayo yonke into — into ebaluleke kakhulu ukuze siphumelele ngoku kwaye sikhathazeke ngeendleko kamva, eli ziko lenyukliya likhupha isixa esibonakalayo sobungozi obunokubulala okusingqongileyo. Umhlaba namanzi zinetyhefu. Imfuyo nabantu bayatshintshwa. Abanye baba namathumba nomhlaza. Abanye bayafa.

Kuyo yonke le nto-kwaye ngaphandle kweempawu ezicacileyo zokuba kukho into engalunganga kakhulu-uluntu luhlala lungazi nto, ngabom. Ngomdla kukhuseleko lwesizwe, urhulumente akaze azise abemi abangqongileyo-hayi ngokwakhiwa kwendawo yokuhlala, nangobukho bayo, okanye ngesoyikiso sokufa esihamba emazantsi ezindlu nakwiifama-kude kube yiminyaka emininzi kamva, xa imfihlelo icace gca ukuba ingafihlwa .

Naxa esenza ulwamkelo, ngenjongo yokujongela phantsi ukuxhatshazwa kwaye agubungele oko anako, urhulumente ukhetha ukuqhubeka nokuxoka, exelela abemi ukuba ukuba kukho into e-afoot kwindawo eyimfihlo ephezulu-kwaye akukho nto-akukho nto inokukhathazeka ngayo. Konke kulungile. Wonke umntu ukhuselekile. Lo mgca osemthethweni unamathele nanjengoko abasebenzi kwiziko lenyukliya beqala ukugula kwaye bafe.

Egcinwe ngama-villains kunye ne-patsies-kunye nabaninzi abasebenzisanayo ababelandela nje imiyalelo-eli bali linalo iqhawe elinye, usosayensi oqeshwe ngurhulumente. Unesazela kunye nokuziphatha okuhle, ke uphakamisa i-alamu-ukuba azifumanele ecaleni kwaye athuliswe, isilumkiso sakhe asihoywa kwaye nesoyikiso asiphelanga. Isuswe kwisikhundla sayo saseburhulumenteni njengesohlwayo, igalelo layo kwinyaniso kunye nokuphendula kuxatyiswa kuphela emva kokubhubha kwakhe.

Konke oku kufanele Isandi esiqhelekileyo kubantu abaninzi baseMelika ngo-2019. Udumo lwee-junkies zeTV ziya kufumana ukufana kwesiqwenga se IChernobyl, Inkonzo yentlekele yenyukliya kunye nempumelelo ebalulekileyo yokubaleka kwi-HBO okoko yaqala le ntwasahlobo.

Uya kuba ulungile, kodwa ngoku kuza ubuqhetseba kolu qhinga lwandisiweyo lede: Yonke le nto yenzeke eMelika, ngaphandle nje kweDenver, eColorado, e Isityalo seRocky Flats . Phakathi kowe-1952 nowe-1989, iRocky Flats yayiyeyona mveliso iphambili kurhulumente wase-US yokwakha izixhobo zenyukliya. Njengombutho wangoku weColorado Jared Polis wangqina phambi kweCongress, ngo-1969, eRocky Flats phantse yaba yiChernobyl yaseMelika , kunye ne-Denver yanikezela nge-radioactive zone engavumelekanga- [ngemini yakhe baphantse baphulukana ne-Denver, njenge ntatheli uLen Ackland ubhale kwi Imbumbulu yeeNzululwazi zeAtomic .

Imveliso yamiswa ngo-1989, hayi ngenxa yokuba iMfazwe ebandayo yayiphela, kodwa ngenxa yokuba i-FBI yahlasela isebe elilawulwa liSebe lezamandla kunye nomnini-ngeniso owenza isivumelwano sokuyiqhuba, i-Rockwell International, ethi kamva ulivumile ityala lolwaphulo-mthetho kwindalo esingqongileyo . Abanini bamakhaya bafumene imali eyi- $ 375 yezigidi zokuhlala kumhlaba wabo-hayi ngenxa yomlilo, kodwa ngenxa yemisebenzi yemihla ngemihla yezityalo, njengokugcina amawaka emigqomo yenkunkuma eqhumayo kwithafa elinomoya, kwindawo evulekileyo .

Phakathi ko-1990 kunye no-2005, iSebe lezaMandla lase-U.S laye lafuna ukulungisa okungenani eli lifa. Izakhiwo zadilizwa. Abasebenzi bathutha iitoni zeradiactivity. Into engenakususwa yayingcwatywa nje nzulu phantsi komhlaba, okanye ishiywe in-situ, apho iya kuhlala ingumngcipheko okoko i-plutonium ihlala i-radioactive-eyi-24,000 yeminyaka. Esi sixhobo senyukliya sathunyelwa kwiRocky Flats Plant ukusuka kwizixhobo zenyukliya ezazithathe umhlala-phantsi ngo-1962.ILayibrari yeCongress, iCandelo lokuprinta kunye neefoto, i-HAER CO-83-O

Ndicinga ukuba zininzi izinto ezifanayo phakathi kweChernobyl kunye neRocky Flats, utshilo uJeff Gipe, igcisa elikwisiXeko saseNew York elakhulela kwisithunzi sokoqobo saseRocky Flats kwaye utata waso wayesebenza kumzi-mveliso amashumi eminyaka.

Wonke umntu [obukele lo mboniso IChernobyl ] ifana, 'Wow, andiyikholelwa le nto,' utshilo. Kwaye, 'Wowu, ukuba ubusazi nje okwenzekileyo eMelika.'

Nangona wafudukela eNew York ngaphezulu kweminyaka elishumi eyadlulayo kwaye ehlala kwaye esebenza eBrooklyn, umsebenzi omninzi kaGipe ngoku ujikeleze iRocky Flats. UGipe waqingqa iHorse Yomlo obandayo, indawo emile yomfanekiso weColorado — ihashe elirhabaxa — elinomfanekiso obizwa ngokuba yiCold War, isuti yehazmat.

Ihashe, ngoku i-Colorado Gov. Jared Polis esandula ukunconywa njengomsebenzi wobugcisa, ikwangumboniso wesikhumbuzo sebali leRocky Flats ekhoyo kwindawo kawonke-wonke-kwaye ikhona kuphela emva kokuba yakhiwe kwakhona emva kwesenzo esingaqondakaliyo nesingasonjululwanga ukonakalisa

Iprojekthi yangoku kaGipe ikwahambelana neRocky Flats, kodwa inomdla kakhulu: ukuphinda kwenziwe inkqubo yeColorado naseMelika.

Umnqophiso wefilimu yakhe egqibeleleyo esele igqityiwe, Isiqingatha-sobomi beMemori: Iiflethi ezinamatye kunye neNyukliya yokuQala , Enye yeencwadi ezintathu ezinxulumene neRocky Flats ezinxulumene namaxwebhu, yenzelwe ukukhupha ibali leRocky Flats kwiindawo ezimnyama nezilibalekileyo zebhanki zememori ezihlanganisiweyo zelizwe-apho kunokwenzeka ukuba yehliswe ngabom.

UGipe uye walichitha ibali leRocky Flats njengaye nabani na. Yayikukhula kwakhe kwaye ngoku kulawula ubugcisa bakhe. Uchithe le minyaka imbalwa idlulileyo esenza udliwanondlebe nabantu abangama-50 ababandakanyekayo kule ndawo-abasebenzi, amagosa aseburhulumenteni, abaphuhlisi bezindlu nemihlaba kunye namatshantliziyo.

Umsonto oqhelekileyo awafumanisa ukuba kulula kangakanani ukuhlala, ukusebenza okanye ukuthenga indlu ecaleni kweRocky Flats kwaye ungonwabi ngokungazi-ngokuzithandela okanye hayi-zombini amabali abanzi ebali, kubandakanya nokuba i-United States isondele kangakanani ekuzikhupheni, kunye nomngcipheko oqhubekayo oziswa sisiza.

IChernobyl Ukukhululwa kunika uGipe nethuba lokuzoba ngokulula-iChernobyl ligama lasekhaya, igama elibubungqina bobuyatha benyukliya-kodwa indlela abasabela ngayo kwiinkonzo phakathi kwabagxeki abaninzi, ukugwetywa okungathandekiyo kwenkqubo yeSoviet endaweni yokuzoba naziphi na izifundo onokuzisebenzisa, ikwatyhila ubungakanani bengxaki uGipe uzama ukulungisa.

Ndicinga ukuba wonke umntu uyaziqhelisa, 'Wowu, ayinakwenzeka le nto apha. Singcono kunoko. ’Kwaye ngokunyanisekileyo ndicinga ukuba abantu baseMelika ngekhe babengcono ukuba isiganeko esinjengeChernobyl senzeke eRocky Flats okanye kwenye indawo, utshilo. Nantoni na ejikeleze amandla enyukliya okanye izixhobo zenyukliya, kukho ukuqhubeka kobuxoki.

Kulula kakhulu ukubona ukuba kwenzeka njani into efanayo apha.

Kuyinyani ukuba uqhushumbo-kunye nokukhululwa okungalawulekiyo kwe-radioactivity njengaseChernobyl-khange kwenzeke. Inyaniso yokuba iphantse yenzeka, kwaye abantu baseMelika bebengaziswanga ngokupheleleyo ngento yokuba urhulumente wabo waphantse wababulala banokuba nomsindo ngokwaneleyo-ukuba bekungekho ngenxa yokuba umlilo ka-1969 walandela omnye umlilo, ngo-1957, kwaye ke Isibini ixesha iDenver liphantse lakhanyiswa sisixhobo senyukliya sase-US. Igumbi elonakaliswe ngumlilo okwenzeka eRocky Flats Plant ngoMeyi 11, 1969.ILayibrari yeCongress, iCandelo lokuprinta kunye neefoto, i-HAER CO-83-O

Imililo yayimbi kakhulu kwaye yayiphakathi kwamaxesha amabini apho i-United States yaphantse yaziqhushumbisa, kodwa indlela esisebenza ngayo isityalo yonke imihla ebomini bayo-xa ikhupha iplutonium ngokusebenzisa ukutshaya, itshiza amanzi angcolileyo kwibala elikufutshane kwaye imigqomo yenkunkuma egciniweyo ngaphandle, evulekileyo, kwithafa elinomoya ovuthuzayo ovela kumakhaya — nayo yayimbi. Iplutonium eninzi yaphuncuka kangangokuba ichibi elikufutshane, elalisetyenziselwa amanzi okusela edolophu ekufutshane, kwafuneka lishiywe njengamanzi asetyenziswayo.

Ngoku, kumashumi eminyaka kamva, thina phantse ulahlekile iDenver / thina phantse Ukuzikhathaza ngokwethu kuyinxalenye yengxaki kwaye kunceda ukuyifihla inyani yokuba isixa esikhulu seplutonium uyenzile ukubaleka eRocky Flats. Izinto ezinobungozi ezinokusasazeka zingena kwimekobume engqongileyo, zithwelwe ngothuli namanzi ezifama, emakhaya nasezikolweni. Eminye ye-radioactivity enokubulala, ngohlobo lweeplutonium ezincinci ezinokungeniswa ngaphakathi okanye ukungeniswa, zihlala namhlanje kwindalo esingqongileyo.

Apha kulapho ibali lifuna ukungafuneki: Ngokwaseburhulumenteni kunye noorhulumente, konke kuhlala kulungile. Abalawuli bommandla nobumbuso banyanzelisa ukuba ukunyuka intaba eRocky Flats kukhuselekile kwaye ukuthenga ikhaya kufutshane kukhuselekile. Ukutyelelwa okuphindiweyo kwizifundo zesayithi undwendwe alusayi kuphinda lubekho radiation kune-x-ray yesifuba. Kungenzeka kangakanani ukuba uphefumle i-plutonium kwaye uzise i-alpha-radiation-emitting particle emithanjeni yakho yangaphakathi ayiqwalaselwa-ngokuyinxalenye kuba, njengeqela leengcali, kubandakanywa abaprofesa abahlala phantsi kunye nabasebenza kwi-biology nakwi-chemistry kwiYunivesithi yaseColorado nakwezinye iindawo zithi, ukunciphisa loo mngcipheko kuya kufuna isifundo esiza kutyhila iinyani abaninzi abakhetha ukuhlala bengaziwa.

Ukusetyenziswa kweplutonium ukuvelisa iibhombu eRocky Flats kwaphela ngo-1989 emva kohlaselo lwe-FBI. Umzi mveliso wezenzuzo, iRockwell International, wavuma ityala kwiminyaka kamva kulwaphulo-mthetho lokusingqongileyo kwaye wahlawula le ntlawulo ichazwe ngasentla. Nangona kunjalo, akukho mntu usebenze naliphi na ixesha lokuvalelwa, kunye namaxwebhu amaxwebhu achaza ngqo ukuba kwenzeka ntoni kwisityalo, esijongwa yijaji enkulu, sihlala sitywiniwe.

Nangona iitoni kunye neetoni zezinto ezinobungozi zisuswe, uninzi lokungcoliseka, kubandakanya oko kwakukhe kwathiwa sesona sakhiwo siyingozi eMelika, akuzange kususwe-kungcwatywa nje phantsi komhlaba, ngokungafaniyo nobugcisa obasetyenziswa eChernobyl.

Iindawo apho izakhiwo zatshiswa khona kunye neplutonium yenziwa kwinto ebangela ukuba kucinywe iibhombu zenyukliya yindawo engavumelekanga, kodwa indawo eyayikuzo izityalo, engazange icocwe ngeplutonium okanye ezinye ii-radionuclides, ngoku yiRocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, bavulekele abakhenkethi, abahamba ngeenyawo nabahambi ngeebhayisikile — kunye nabantwana besikolo (nangona uninzi lweentsumpa zesikolo kunye namagosa ebhodi yesikolo babhengeze esidlangalaleni ukuba abafundi babo abazukundwendwela lommandla).

Isazinzulu esibetha impempe esikhankanywe ngaphambili yayinguCarl Johnson, owayesakuba ngumlawuli wezempilo yoluntu eJefferson County, apho ikhoyo iRocky Flats. Umphandi onobuchule, kwakunye nogqirha, uJohnson, phakathi kwiminyaka yoo-1970, wathi ufumene ungcoliseko lweplutonium kangangezihlandlo ezingama-44 ngaphezu kwesiqhelo kwiindawo ezingqonge iRocky Flats — iindawo eziqulethe izindlu ngoku. Kwiminyaka ye-1980, wapapasha kwiijenali zonyango ezibalaseleyo iziphumo zakhe ezacebisa ukuba ukusweleka kovavanyo lwenyukliya eNevada, apho i-U.S yavavanya khona iibhombu ze-hydrogen entlango, zaziphezulu kakhulu kunokuba urhulumente wayevumile. Umbono ocacileyo webhokisi yeglavu eyonakaliswe ngumlilo we1969 kwiRocket Flats Plant.ILayibrari yeCongress, iCandelo lokuprinta kunye neefoto, i-HAER CO-83-O

UJohnson wasuswa kwisikhundla sakhe ngamagosa anyuliweyo eJefferson County phakathi kwiminyaka yoo-1980, abanye babo babenonxibelelwano nophuhliso lwezindlu, kodwa baqhubeka nokuphazamisa kunye nokuxhasa iiRoyy Flats kude kube sekupheleni. Xa uJohnson wasweleka ngo-1988, eneminyaka engama-59 ubudala — malunga nexesha elinye isazinzulu saseSoviet uValery Legasov, iqhawe laseChernobyl, lazibulala. INew York Times .

Kumzekelo wendlela imbali enokubangumvano-siphelo ngayo nokuziphindaphinda, owangena ezihlangwini zikaJohnson njengomlawuli wempilo yoluntu e-Jefferson County-UMark Johnson, akukho buhlobo-naye irekhodi njengokuchaswa kuphuhliso kunye nokutyelela indawo yokuhlala yezilwanyana zasendle kude kube uvavanyo olubalulekileyo igqityiwe. Isilumkiso sakhe, uMark Johnson wagxothwa kunyaka ophelileyo njengesidenge esoyikisayo, kuzo zombini Iposi likaDenver yokuhlela ngokunjalo nakwiimeyile phakathi kwamanye amagosa karhulumente azimisele ukubonisa ukhuseleko eRocky Flats.

Iziko lolondolozo lwembali eliza kujongana, okanye ubuncinci liyamkele, le mbali, ethembiswe liSebe lezaMandla, elawula umzi-mveliso omdala, kusafuneka yenzeke. Umhlaba nje osemazantsi apho i-United States yakha khona i-70,000 yeplutonium ebangela izixhobo zayo zenyukliya ngoku iphuhliswa yenziwa izindlu.

Kuba iRocky Flats yayingeyiyo intlekele kwinqanaba laseChernobyl — kwaye yayikukuphosa nje okufutshane, kungabikho nabantu abambalwa — iRocky Flats kulula ukuyilibala. Okubi nangakumbi, iRocky Flats kulula ukwala ukuyivuma kwasekuqaleni. Imizamo yokuxhoma umqondiso ngaphandle kwesango eliphambili lababaleki bezilwanyana zasendle-phantsi kwesihloko esithi, Kwenzeke ntoni apha? - boyisiwe kwiNdlu yoWiso-mthetho yaseColorado. Umbono womoya ujonge emazantsi kwizakhiwo zeplutonium kwiRocky Flats Plant ngo-1988.IThala leeNcwadi leCongress, iCandelo lokuprinta kunye neefoto, i-HAER CO-38-O

Njengoko Ezizimeleyo zaseColorado Kuxelwe ngo-2014, abathengi basekhaya abanomdla bayakufunda konke oku kuphela ukuba bayazi ukubuza, kwaye amatshantliziyo azamile ukubazisa ukuba bavuzwa ngamatyala angcolisayo avela kubaphuhlisi. Nangona indawo yomzi-mveliso omdala yindawo ye-EPA Superfund, imida kuluntu, kuncinci kakhulu kwindawo kawonke-wonke ukuvumela nabaphi na abadlulayo-okanye abakhwela intaba okanye abahamba ngeebhayisikile-ukuba bazi ukuba kuqhubeka ntoni kwindawo yokuhlala yezilwanyana zasendle.

Kuyenzeka ke ngoko ukuba unyuke eRocky Flats, uqhube udlule kuyo okanye uthenge ikhaya eCandelas, uphuhliso olwakhiwayo kwangoko emazantsi, kwaye ungaze ulive eli bali lingasentla. Kuyenzeka ukuba ukhule kwisithunzi sokwenyani seeRocky Flats kwaye ungaze ulive eli bali, ngaphandle kokuba uthathe inxaxheba, uzimisele okanye ngenye indlela.

Ndaya kwisikolo esikufutshane neRocky Flats ngelo xesha, kwaye iRocky Flats zange ifundiswe okanye kuthethwe ngayo esikolweni, utshilo uGipe. Inxalenye enkulu yembali yaseMelika, kwaye akukho nto ngayo kumagumbi okufundela.

Uloyiko lwam kukuba sele kuyiminyaka elishumi ngoku isiza sabhengezwa sicocekile, kwaye ukusukela ngelo xesha, kuye kwakho ukubuyela umva okukhulu-isiza sitshintshe ngokupheleleyo kwinto ebesiyiyo. Kwaye ngenxa yalonto, inkumbulo iphelile, wongeze. Abantu bahlala kuloo ndawo ngoku kwaye abayazi into eyenzekileyo.

Njengoluntu, sinomdla omfutshane wokujonga. Yonke into imalunga ngoku-yintoni eyona nto intsha? Indawo ingcwatyiwe. Kukugubungela ngokomzimba nangokwengqondo, kuba ezona zakhiwo zingcolisekileyo eMelika zisangcwatyiwe phaya. Le supercompactor yayisetyenziselwa ukunciphisa umthamo wezinto ezingcoliswe yiplutonium eRoyy Flats Plant ngo-1991.IThala leeNcwadi leCongress, iCandelo lokuprinta kunye neefoto, i-HAER CO-38-O

Ifilimu kaGipe inokuxela konke okanye uninzi lweli bali kwinqanaba elithile. Akaqinisekanga ncam-usemva kwemveliso, uzama ukuhlela ibali le-epic phantsi kubungakanani bobude. Into ayaziyo kukuba umboniso bhanyabhanya wakhe uphikisana nomgaqo osemthethweni ophindaphindiweyo njengemantra kumashumi eminyaka-kwaye ke unokufana nokukhwaza emoyeni. Kodwa yintoni enye anokuyenza?

Ngelishwa, urhulumente wase-US waxoka kubemi baseColorado amashumi eminyaka kuyo yonke le ndawo, utshilo, esongeza ukuba iRocky Flats ngokwayo inokuba sele ifuna ukuziphinda. Njengenxalenye yenkqubo yala maxesha eqale phantsi kolawulo luka-Obama, i-US ngoku ikhangela iRocky Flats II, enye indawo efanelekileyo ekuveliseni ezinye izinto ezibangela iplutonium.

Sicinga ngemfazwe ebandayo njengemfazwe engenabungozi, kwaye ngokucacileyo ayonyani, utshilo uGipe. Kufuneka siveze okwenzekileyo ukuze siye phambili kwaye sibuze eminye yemigaqo-nkqubo. Sikulibala ngokulula okwenzekileyo. Kubantu abafudukela kuloo ndawo, isimo sengqondo kukuba, ‘Bakhe izindlu apha. Kumele ukuba ikhuselekile. '

Ukuqinisekiswa esikufumene kurhulumente wethu amaxesha ngamaxesha kwaye kwavumela abantu ukuba banike ngokungazithembi ukholo lwabo kwaye bathi, 'Kulungile, ewe, andiboni mcimbi, mhlawumbi awukho umcimbi. Abayi kuyenza loo nto. Urhulumente wethu ngekhe ayenze lonto, utshilo. Kodwa ukuba ujonga emva kwimbali yeRocky Flats, sesinye sezifundo ezibaluleke kakhulu. Oko kukuthi, urhulumente waseMelika wayenza loo nto-kwaye phantse wayephethe eyakhe iChernobyl ezandleni zakhe, ubuncinci kabini. Isityalo iRocky Flats, malunga no-1989.UJerry Cleveland / iDenver Post ngokusebenzisa imifanekiso kaGetty