This Might Have Been The Worst Nuclear Disaster In American History
bgr.com••health
Key Points:
- In 1959, a meltdown at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory near Los Angeles released up to 300 times more radiation than the Three Mile Island incident, marking the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history, though it remained undisclosed to the public for 20 years.
- Despite ongoing operations until 2006, cleanup efforts at the site have been inadequate, with environmental advocates criticizing government and corporate responses, while new owners aim to convert the area into a nature reserve, potentially lowering decontamination standards.
- The disaster highlights issues of government secrecy, corporate accountability, and environmental protection, complicated by conflicting scientific studies on health impacts and prolonged bureaucratic delays in remediation.
- A 2018 wildfire originating at the site spread
