Radioactive waste hidden in oil and gas production

Deutsche Welle – Drilling for oil and gas drags up huge amounts of natural radioactive waste from the earth. The disposal of this waste is barely regulated, and could spell environmental catastrophe, according to a new media report. The WDR report says that in Germany alone, up to 2,000 metric tons of naturally-occurring radioactive waste is sucked out of the earth every year and dumped in the surrounding countryside. By extrapolating these figures to oil production in the United States, which produces much more oil and has lower industry safety standards, up to 260,000 metric tons of radioactive waste could be produced there. Read Article

Tags: energy & resources, Europe, nature of corporations, nuclear, pollution & toxins