The finite resources of our planet have been used to enhance the lifestyle, advancement and comforts of mankind. Fossil fuels and nuclear fusion provide the energy, the ability to do our work so that we can accomplish our goals.
Most people do not realise that there is a cost for our advancement. When w
e generate nuclear energy, we also generate nuclear waste in the form of spent fuel stored in rods. We drill holes in the ground and store them there in thick concrete casings and place signs and security personnel to warm people of the dangers of becoming exposed to these hazardous materials.
There are also locations (sites) that contain hazardous chemicals and waste that have been abandoned for varying reasons. The signs have fallen down; the security presence is no longer in place and these sites are no longer managed or regulated. In some instances, after years of neglect the land is sold and communities built on these locations. An example of this can be seen in New York State, where a 16 acre landfill, commonaly called the "Love Canal" was used to store over 20,000 tons of chemical wastes. This landfill located a third of a mile from the Niagara River was sold for one dollar and thereafter construction of homes and an elementary school began.
In the United States of America, these abandoned sites have now begun to receive renewed focus. The government has realised the need to have these sites managed and regulated and has created the Superfund to assist in this area. Sites that receive funding from this fund are called Superfund Sites. The Davie Landfill is located approximately 10 miles southwest of my home in Davie Florida. It is the nearest Superfund Site to my home.
There are Superfund Sites all over the United States. Listed below are narratives and website addresses extracted from the EPA's website on a few sites located in Florida
1. The Davie Landfill
Most people do not realise that there is a cost for our advancement. When w
e generate nuclear energy, we also generate nuclear waste in the form of spent fuel stored in rods. We drill holes in the ground and store them there in thick concrete casings and place signs and security personnel to warm people of the dangers of becoming exposed to these hazardous materials.There are also locations (sites) that contain hazardous chemicals and waste that have been abandoned for varying reasons. The signs have fallen down; the security presence is no longer in place and these sites are no longer managed or regulated. In some instances, after years of neglect the land is sold and communities built on these locations. An example of this can be seen in New York State, where a 16 acre landfill, commonaly called the "Love Canal" was used to store over 20,000 tons of chemical wastes. This landfill located a third of a mile from the Niagara River was sold for one dollar and thereafter construction of homes and an elementary school began.
In the United States of America, these abandoned sites have now begun to receive renewed focus. The government has realised the need to have these sites managed and regulated and has created the Superfund to assist in this area. Sites that receive funding from this fund are called Superfund Sites. The Davie Landfill is located approximately 10 miles southwest of my home in Davie Florida. It is the nearest Superfund Site to my home.
There are Superfund Sites all over the United States. Listed below are narratives and website addresses extracted from the EPA's website on a few sites located in Florida
1. The Davie Landfill
Located at 4001 S.W. 142ND Avenue in Davie, Florida. Closed in 1975. In 1988, the Broward County Public Health Unit found vinyl chloride contamination in private wells south of the site. In the early 1990's, further sampling by Broward County, confirmed that vinyl chloride and antimony had contaminated the groundwater in the area. Problem corrected
2. Miami Drum Services
The site where Dade County discovered hazardous waste during construction of the maintenance facility and repair yard was located just south of Miami in southern Florida. The property was formerly owned by Miami Drum Services, a company that, from 1966 to 1981, purchased, cleaned, and resold more than 5,000 drums that once contained chemical and hazardous wastes. The company dumped corrosives, solvents, and toxic metals from the cleaning process into several low-lying areas on the property. The contaminants seeped through the surface soil into the underlying Biscayne Aquifer, a key source of drinking water for area residents. Although the site is in an industrial area, there are more than 4,700 homes within two miles. Problem Corrected.
3.Wingate Municipal Road Incinerator Dump 
Tests conducted in 1985 by EPA detected pesticides (DDT, Aldrin, chlordane, and Dieldrin) in surface composite soil and subsurface soil from the dump area. Elevated pesticide concentrations were also reported in sediments from Rock Pit Lake, which is used for recreational activities. The lake intersects the Biscayne Aquifer, which EPA has designated as a sole source aquifer under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Thus, there is a threat of contaminants entering the aquifer. An estimated 353,000 people draw drinking water from four municipal well fields within 3 miles of the site: the Lauderhill Municipal Water Supply Well Field, the Broward County District 1A Well Field, the Prospect Well Field, and the Dixie Well Field. There is no un-threatened alternative source for the Lauderhill field.
The site is only partially fenced, making it possible for people and animals to come into direct contact with hazardous substances. Approximately 44,000 people live within 1 mile of the site. Corrective Action still ongoing
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