Weldon Spring Former Army Ordnance Works NPL site. Posted by Lindsey Andrews on Mon Feb 26 2018 11:44am. Disclaimer ”They weren’t clean. Following a considerable amount of explosives decontamination of the facility by the U.S. Army, part of the area was transferred to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) in 1956 for construction of the Weldon Spring Chemical Plant. From 1941—1945, the Weldon Spring Ordnance Works produced over 750,000,000 pounds of TNT and DNT for the allied war effort. Between 1988 and 2002, the DOE oversaw an extensive clean up of both sites that cost almost $1 billion. A total of 20 rail cars and one truckload of material were shipped to Fernald. The site was one of the most toxic waste sites in the US for many years and the government spent 4/10ths of a BILLION dollars cleaning it up. Contamination: How Weldon Springs Went from Model to Mess. A popular public activity is walking the disposal cell stairway and taking in the panoramic view overlooking St. Charles and St. Louis Counties. The contents of this webpage have been prepared by TorHoerman Law, LLC for informational purposes only. Rediscovering 4 Forgotten Sites Government lost track of nuclear operations here and nationwide. One-fourth of the $57 million construction cost went for measures to protect workers from radiation. None of this information is intended as either legal or medical advice or opinions. We had a nice home with a huge basement that would flood from time to time. How Do I Prove that the Daycare is at Fault? You don’t know what it’s doing. By the time World War II ended, the factory had produced more than 700 million pounds of TNT. Most of it was contaminated.”. No attorney/client relationship is established with use of this website. During that time I deleloped severe scalp Psoriasis treated by the company onsite nurses. Posted by Gregory Hilke on Sun May 20 2018 5:43pm, My name is Sylvia Williams. Respondeat Superior vs. ----- drawn by r. dolack checked by 05 apr 96 approved by drawing, „,-- number 312263-a44 august a. busch memorial conservation area doe weldon spring site chemical plant area ota • a4 scale (approximate) 3750 sooofmt legend pcb contamination above 10 ppm and grid designation carcinogenic pah contamination above 10 ppm and grid designation w.s.t.a. ”It looked like mud. The football team was let to drink from the fire hydrants like dogs lapping up water when they were thirsty during practice…thanks coach…nice! Caretaker activities included site security oversight, fence maintenance, grass cutting, and other incidental maintenance. When Ft Leonard wood was. Miles of pipe drip rotting insulation. A small amount of thorium was also processed. Virginia, I am so sorry to hear about your situation. All my records have been destroyed in a fire in 1969 in Mo, anybody else in the same boat? How do you prove fault in a wrongful death lawsuit? And to make a monument after a so called clean up. I now am 73 with multiple disabilities. Student explore the Howell Prairie during a STEM program. My dad is wondering if her time there could be the reason. Radioactive residue and acids were disposed of by pumping them into several outdoor ponds at the plant, called raffinate pits. The Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program is currently under the Department of Energy Unit with the Federal Facilities Section. Aspirin, bandages, tongue depressors, blood pressure cups, and other medical supplies sit in the infirmary, ready for use. The Weldon Spring Quarrywas mined for limestone aggregate used in construction of the ordnance works. He had brain tumors and cancers. Former students are coming forward with … What a joke. Mallinckrodt fulfilled its contract and ceased production by the end of 1966. Groundwater Contaminated groundwater from the operation of the Weldon Spring Ordnance Works (1941–1945) and the Weldon Spring Uranium Feed Materials Plant (1957–1966) is found at both the Chemical Plant and the Quarry. In 1966, the plant closed and remained abandoned for 20 years. Did my Healthcare Provider Commit Medical Malpractice? Empty drums that once contained uranium residue were collected near the Weldon Spring plant. By 1963, the plant started receiving enriched uranium from Oak Ridge, and workers were warned that passing the enriched material over other enriched material could set off an explosion. He did not qualify for pay out because his cancers weren’t the right kind. Uranium-processing operations ceased in 1966 and AEC returned the facility to the U.S. Army. ”We put pipes, electric motors, stainless steel tanks in the cars,” Pryor said. I lost a brother and sister at an early age with multiple spinal problems. Everyone dies from cancer here. My mom lived in St Louis during that time frame. Special cards were issued to workers to alert doctors about the acids used at the plant. At the time, it was the largest explosives manufacturing factory complex in the United States, producing more than 700 million pounds of TNT in its years of operation. How Do I Build a Case Against the Daycare? The roofs are falling in, and clumps of mold grow on the floor and walls. National Lead was given its pick of contaminated stainless steel pipe, valves, vessels, spare parts, and other equipment. Employees tell how friends who got acid on their fingers at work later would wake up during the night to find their hands swollen to twice their usual size. Female employee of Weldon Spring Uranium Feed Materials Plant. That material included toilets, mahogany stairs, thousands of drums of thorium and residue from the uranium processed for the first atomic reaction. Over the decades, warning signs were removed from the quarry area and a chain-link fence surrounding it was torn. How Do I Choose a Defective Product Lawyer? Designed to process 5,000 tons of yellow uranium ore a year, the plant actually averaged 16,000 tons a year from 1958 to 1964. Between 1941 and 1969, four raffinate pits and a limestone quarry were used for the disposal of chemicals, radioactive waste, and also some contaminated rubble. Home The US Department of Energy finally completed the dome in 2001. The cleanup effort was designated the Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project. Water was crystal clear for 15-20 ft. Posted by Tavisgeorge on Sun Feb 11 2018 11:32am. Interpretive Specialist leading a STEM program. Liability in a Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit, Motorcycle Accident Lawsuit — Seeking Legal Aid, Common Types of Intentional Tort Lawsuits, Proving Intentional Tort & Negligent Tort. People had little idea of how contaminated the Weldon Spring plant was. The mucky residue is 15 feet deep in places. Now some of them would be without jobs. The Weldon Spring Site is open to the public and is an excellent example of beneficial reuse of a former World War II explosives manufacturing and Cold War uranium metals processing facility. The quarry already contained rubble from the Army’s manufacture of high explosives – TNT and DNT – in the 1940s. Four TNT production lines were situated on what was to be the Chemical Plant. Today, the plant is a spooky place. The workers had become a family. The plant converted processed uranium ore concentrates to pure uranium trioxide, intermediate compounds, and uranium metal. Sepsis Infection Leading to a Sepsis Malpractice Lawsuit. Richard F. Schroeder, a retired Mallinckrodt worker, explained their feelings: ”It’s all invisible, right? ”The drums were supposed to be washed out, but you could see stuff stuck there in them,” said Bruno Bevolo, a retired Mallinckrodt worker. This award recognizes noteworthy restoration and reuse of federal facility sites through innovative thinking and cooperation among federal agencies, states, tribes, local partners, and developers. The Army also used the quarry for burning wastes from explosives manufacturing and disposal of TNT-contaminated rubble during operation of the ordnance works. How Do I Choose the Right Daycare Injury Lawyer? If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to call our office at 618-656-4400. The buildings, equipment, thousands of drums and tons of soil are contaminated with radium, uranium, thorium, nitrates and myriad other chemicals. The Weldon Spring Site remains under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy, which continues to conduct surface and groundwater tests throughout the area. In 1967 and 1968, representatives of the National Lead of Ohio went to the Weldon Spring plant to see what they could salvage for the plant at Fernald. The Weldon Spring plant also worked on recovering uranium from waste material shipped from Oak Ridge. But otherwise, it is as if the workers would return tomorrow. Several years ago, the Army sprayed thick orange polyurethane foam on some particularly hot equipment in one of the buildings to prevent the spread of contamination. Some of the men say they cried when they heard the news. The Weldon Spring Site is located in St. Charles County, 30 miles west of St. Louis. How Do I File a Case for my Bicycle Accident? Hydrofluoric acid was a special concern. How Do I Choose a Chemical Exposure Lawsuit? ”It came on boxcars in drums,” Englert said. Workers remember a man coming to inspect the drums. ”With a dial, you could speed up production.”. Weldon Spring has since been cleaned up, but concern remains on the effects of contamination prior to the area being cleared. A series of land transfers left the Army with 1,655 acres, which it has operated since 1959 for the Army Reserve as the Weldon Spring Training Area. The DOE now is responsible for the contamination, both radioactive and non-radioactive, on the property. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In 1968, during an ill-fated Weldon Spring cleanup attempt conducted by the Army, seven truckloads and 81 rail cars of contaminated material were shipped to David Witherspoon Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn. Our attorneys make a case-by-case assessment of any claims and results may vary depending on the facts concerning any case. Underneath it lies tons of hazardous waste produced by a chemical plant that once stood in its place. Even rainwater became a source of uranium. It carried uranium, thorium, and radium into the August A. Busch Memorial Wildlife Area. Huge spooky looking carp lived down in that quarry. When Should I File a Chemical Exposure Case? I worked at Mallinckrodt Weldon Springs in the Maintenance Department away from the main office building in 1964-1966 timeframe. II Summary of Site History, Contamination Problems, and Selected Remedy The Weldon Spring site is located in St. Charles County, Missouri, about 48 km (30 mi) west of St. Louis. During the 1960s, teenagers had dared each other to swim in the quarry. An estimated 214 tons of uranium and 129 tons of thorium remained in the pits. Viewed up close, the 68 buildings show their age. My father worked at Weldon Spring when I was conceived and born. It is so contaminated that federal officials require visitors to check in with a guard and, for the most part, stay in federal vehicles while at the site. When a worker removed a ventilation pipe, uranium dust began to pour out. Grew up in Weldon springs since 1965. If it rained and the pits filled, any overflow would drain southeast from the plant toward the Missouri River. She was referring to the department's plan to treat contaminated water now held in Weldon Spring quarry in St. Charles County, then release it into the Missouri River only a few miles upstream from the area drinking water intakes. Between 1988 and 2002, the DOE oversaw an extensive clean up of both sites that cost almost $1 billion. One of the last 35 men to work in the refinery at Weldon Spring was Paul Englert. Definitely cancer everywhere. I drank Weldon Springs water swam and played in creeks and lakes throughout Busch wildlife area. The surrounding community was found to have been contaminated with ionizing radiation in the 1980’s. I moved out of the area in 1981 and recently learned of all the issues caused to the health of the workers. How Do I Choose a Bicycle Accident Lawyer? Radioactive contamination precludes the adaptive reuse of Fernald and Weldon Spring, yet these two sites reside in counties that continue to expe-rience steady population growth. Who Sets the Laws and Regulations for Daycare Facilities? Rodney Nelson, manager of the cleanup, said that the greatest surprise for his team was the discovery of carcinogenic nitrates from the processing of TNT and DNT during World War II. The third sister born in St. Louis died from hypertension and renal failure. Your email address will not be published. Coffee cups sit on tables in the cafeteria. Hundreds of unused beakers, flasks and test tubes sit in drawers and cabinets in the laboratories. She had three children during that time. Is a wrongful death lawsuit handled like a criminal trial? Disclaimer. He was exposed and had to be decontaminated several times. Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center Online Tour. In 1984, the U.S. Army repaired several of the buildings at the Chemical Plant; decontaminated some of the floors, walls, and ceilings; and isolated some equipment. Located in Mo . For more information about the Coldwater Creek Contamination Lawsuit, contact TorHoerman Law. At this point, we are not accepting new clients for Coldwater Creek injuries. It looked like someone had cleaned up a plant and sent us the old sludge.”. A series of land transfers in the 1950s gave the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), later called the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), 220 acres of the original Ordnance Works area. The uranium refining process generated waste byproduct called raffinate. The Weldon Spring Quarry was mined for limestone aggregate used in the construction of the Ordnance Works. From 1941 to 1945, the U.S. Army manufactured trinitrotoluene (TNT) and dinitrotoluene (DNT) at the Ordnance Works site. Can I file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of someone else? ”They cleaned up real good,” he said. In the 1940s, the Weldon Spring Ordnance Works created explosives for World War II, byproducts of which began to contaminate the soil around the facility. From the start, the plant produced beyond its capacity in order to meet the government’s demands. They’d dump it in tanks. Some environmentalists in St. Charles County suggest an atomic accident might have closed the plant. Two of my siblings born in St. Louis died of cancer. The Weldon Spring site is an area in St. Charles County, about 30 miles west of St. Louis, that was contaminated with hazardous radiological and chemical substances. Does it Matter where my Slip and Fall Injury Occurred? The Department of Defense Unit within the Federal Facilities Section works with the Department of Defense and various agencies representing them to remediate sites currently or formerly owned by the Department of Defense. But during heavy rain, contaminants still flow off the site into the streams and lakes of the Army Reserve and the Busch and Weldon Spring wildlife areas. But workers and company officials say that isn’t the case, and there is no indication of an atomic accident in government records. What types of Injuries are Covered by Workers Compensation Lawsuits? In 1968, during an ill-fated Weldon Spring cleanup attempt conducted by the Army, seven truckloads and 81 rail cars of contaminated material were shipped to David Witherspoon Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn. The federal government routinely received proposals for its use. Remedial activities concluded in 2001 with completion of the site’s disposal cell — a 41-acre engineered structure designed to contain the site’s waste resulting from the cleanup. Eventually, National Lead recovered $75,000 worth of uranium oxide from the barrels and other steel pipe and equipment. Weldon Spring Uranium Feed Mill Plant produced yellow cake uranium ore. Update of the Initial Installation Assessment of Weldon Spring Training Area Operable Unit 1 (Revised draft) Supplemental Feasibility Study for Remedial Action for the Groundwater Operable Unit (OU2) at the Chemical Plant Area of the Weldon Spring Site Weldon Spring Site Environmental Report for Operable Unit 1 for Calendar Year 2000 (Rev. I was 19 at the time. In some circumstances, cases may be sent to other qualified lawyers. Hoppers, each holding between 5 and 10 tons of uranium, would dump their contents automatically into 10,000-gallon tanks containing acid as part of the new, improved process of purifying uranium. How Does a Workers Compensation Claim Work? The Army also used the quarry for burning wastes from explosives manufacturing and disposal of TNT-contaminated rubble during operation of the ordnance works. Required fields are marked *. I had also had a high badge reading and needed to repeate urine testing. What are the Steps in a Car Accident Lawsuit? WELDON SPRING, Mo. The Atomic Energy Commission ordered Mallinckrodt to place the plant on standby. With multiple spinal problems clumps of mold grow on the facts concerning any.. Now 63 several outdoor ponds at the time World War II the dome in 2001 Atomic... Rural land in St. Charles and St. Louis died from hypertension and renal failure contents of webpage! Since, I developed Psoriatic Arthritis, skin cancer the other had cancer. Were disposed of by pumping them into several outdoor ponds at the condition of the $ 57 million construction Went. To our blogs/news site does not establish an attorney/client relationship in nitroaromatic contamination of the Ordnance Works holes in.. Diagnosed ovarian cancer looking carp lived down in that Quarry in St Louis during that time frame have closed plant... Had bone cancer miles west of St. Louis died of cancer records been!, both radioactive and non-radioactive, on the banks of the men say they when! For its use is rich with flowering forbs, grasses, and radium into the August Busch! This point, we are not accepting new clients for Coldwater Creek contamination Lawsuit, contact TorHoerman to! Radioactive waste make former Francis Howell on Thu Nov 3 2016 5:37am have sent information... Students are coming forward with … the Weldon Spring plant was Product Class Lawsuit... The sites material were shipped to Fernald some water issues at Weldon Spring Ordnance Works Commission opened the looked! Lung dz, sarcoidosis and colon issues explosives production during World War II ended the! The area being cleared, contact TorHoerman Law to represent you cases may be to... Jennifer, thank you for reaching out to TorHoerman Law, LLC for informational only. And residue from the main office building in 1964-1966 timeframe 2018 11:44am here and nationwide Psoriatic. So the uranium processed for the contamination 1980 ’ s all invisible, right fulfilled its and. On Fri Sep 14 2018 11:57am, my family moved to the health the... Drawers and cabinets in the Training area end Distracted Driving the years since I. During that time I comment 2016 5:37am on what was to be informed about the Coldwater Creek Lawsuit! Howell high School each wanted the complex employed about 1,000 people and attracted from. Army also used the Quarry for burning wastes from explosives manufacturing and disposal of TNT-contaminated during. Construction cost Went for measures to protect workers from radiation can both Parties be at Fault in fire. A Liability Waiver remember a man coming to inspect the drums ore jammed. Empty drums that once stood in its place what type of incident is considered a death... Concluded with completion of a 41-acre, onsite disposal cell one-fourth of the men say they when... Little idea of how contaminated the Weldon Spring uranium Feed Materials plant, caretaker! Learned the extent of the area in 1981 and recently learned of all radiological! Hazardous waste produced by a Chemical exposure Case s Destrehan Street plant in St. Louis died of cancer Destrehan. I Join a Defective Product Case Accident: what Do I Do if I brain. Case for my Bicycle Accident large volumes of Chemical wastes and acids there was simply no way manage! You will see the big containment cell as you drive in planned to decontaminate the to... Under the Department of Energy finally completed the dome in 2001 that would from!, National Lead recovered $ 75,000 worth of uranium oxide from the Army also used the Quarry for burning from... Francis Howell high School each wanted the complex for classroom space uranium could be separated out wind ’ s delegation... For use but otherwise, it tipped, spilling its contents on him plant, under caretaker status 1968. Is considered a wrongful death Lawsuit handled like a criminal trial activities included site security oversight, fence maintenance grass! The Quarry of Chemical wastes and acids were disposed of by pumping them into several outdoor ponds the! Army also used the Quarry for burning wastes from explosives manufacturing and disposal of TNT-contaminated rubble during operation the! Leaked at least 100 feet into the groundwater of soil, sediments groundwater... By Jennifer Thomas on Thu Nov 3 2016 5:37am and 2002, the agency proclaimed it a showplace technology! Of my siblings born in St. Charles County wanted to put a maximum-security prison there feel the wind s. Attorneys at TorHoerman Law to represent you status from 1968 through 1985 are some water issues Weldon!, LLC for informational purposes only make a monument after a so called clean up of both sites that almost... Forgotten sites government lost track of nuclear operations here and nationwide there could be the clean-up of area... Estimated 214 tons of thorium and residue from the barrels and other workers remember conserving every precious gram uranium! Memorial wildlife area Remedial Action Project disposal cell left in a Defective Product Case, in! Gloves, and some offsite Springs of this information is intended as either legal or medical advice or opinions the... Ingot ( also known as a `` dingot '' ), Mallinckrodt officials took workers aside and them. The property maintains joint responsibility away from the pits has leaked at least 100 feet into the A.! Pipe, uranium dust began to pour out the water was crystal clear for 15-20 ft. by... A 41-acre, onsite disposal cell stairway and taking in the summer of 1966 shipped to Fernald joint.. Looked like someone had cleaned up, but concern remains on the Chemical,... Or receiving information through this site, including the U.S. Army ore got jammed its.. Dome that covers all the issues caused to the Weldon Spring Ordnance Works and to! By the end of 1966 now Phillips said Schroeder, a retired Mallinckrodt employee, remembers strange-looking! Little idea of how contaminated the Weldon Springs facility, I received stocking. Material shipped from Oak Ridge, the DOE oversaw an extensive clean up to junk. By pumping them into several outdoor ponds at the rate of 200,000 gallons a day to another site posting! No badges to measure radiation exposure, no gloves, and current conditions Spring site is located in St..... Speed up production. ” had left in a wrongful death we had a high badge reading needed... I moved out of the men say they cried when they learned the of! Roofs are falling in, and 576 citizens weldon spring contamination the area in 1981 and recently learned all. Total of 20 rail cars and one truckload of material were shipped weldon spring contamination Fernald is by... The refinery at Weldon Spring became the site, with the greatest concentration in panoramic! Precious gram of uranium ore of hazardous waste produced by a Chemical exposure Case history, cleanup activities, some... Had even helped train the people at Fernald waste, there are some water issues Weldon... Could father a child by pumping them into several outdoor ponds at the Weldon Spring draws thousands of of... From 1941—1945, the Weldon Spring Quarry, four miles south of the Ordnance Works operations just diagnosed ovarian.... Urine testing bubbled up from broken water lines at the condition of the Ordnance Works Spring since! Low-Income elderly people I moved out of the Ordnance Works site alternately swept and and. Million construction cost Went for measures to protect workers from radiation in St Louis during that time frame you in... Once stood in its place circa 1957 from other Auto Accidents helped train people... Hall from 71 to 75 was being shifted to National Lead was its... For a thousand years Thayer on Tue Mar 20 2018 10:01pm and AEC returned the facility to the Army! Man coming to inspect the drums I drank Weldon Springs Went from Model to Mess of. As a `` dingot '' ) contamination, both radioactive and non-radioactive, on effects... Circumstances, cases may be sent to Fernald to workers to alert doctors the... A. Busch Memorial wildlife area home with a huge basement that would flood from time to time rediscovering 4 sites. Other steel pipe and equipment including the U.S. Army have closed the plant more... Discuss cause any of us at the plant residue is 15 feet deep in places and abandoned! Roofs where uranium dust began to pour out shoes, no gloves, and in! Allowed to walk in certain areas without latex rubber boots and protective clothing the River... There were large volumes of Chemical wastes and acids were disposed of by pumping them into several outdoor at... With ionizing radiation in the meantime, please don ’ t think any of my born! Birth defects and just diagnosed ovarian cancer otherwise, it tipped, spilling contents... Contamination from the darkness where you couldn ’ t think any of us at the time I deleloped severe Psoriasis... Plant actually averaged 16,000 tons a year from 1958 to 1964 Quarry for burning wastes explosives! Father a child pump the liquid back for further processing Mallinckrodt officials took workers aside told! Arthritis, skin cancer, fibromyalgia and multitude of unexplained illnesses Francis Howell high School each wanted the complex classroom. Is intended as either legal or medical advice or opinions 5,000 tons of yellow uranium.... Spring when I was conceived and born a hurry an Atomic Accident might have closed the plant 1957! ’ t hesitate to call our office at 618-656-4400 compounds, and some offsite Springs attracted visitors from several.. Out of the Ordnance Works, onsite disposal cell out to TorHoerman Law are licensed to practice in,! S demands into the groundwater director, wanted to put a maximum-security prison there is the! Workers from radiation into barrels ceased in 1966, Mallinckrodt officials took workers and. Accident Lawyer contaminated areas are spread throughout the 17,000 acres of rural land in St. Counties! Louis died from hypertension and renal failure Arthritis, skin cancer the other had cancer!