Author Topic: Thanks for the Agent Orange...NOT (Read 924 times)

Curval · « **on:** June 25, 2007, 07:06:08 AM »

A former US Air Force serviceman who worked on the Navy base here back in the 1960s is now claiming that tons of the defoliant Agent Orange were shipped to the island and dumped into large pit on the baselands. The chemicals were ignited and burned for a few days. The fellow involved then claims he was instructed to bulldoze the now toxic soil into the ocean very close to a public swimming area.

Nice.

First the US dumped all of their untreated toxic waste from a base on the opposite side of the island into two caves which are still an environmental nightmare here. Everything from jet fuel sludge to used tampons still float around in these caves.

Our friends in Washington's response to that disaster...tough.

No doubt the response will be the same for the Agent Organge dumping if the allegations are true.

Dowding · « **Reply #1 on:** June 25, 2007, 07:28:20 AM »

Curval you ungrateful git. The US saved your bellybutton in WWII, so suck it up (tampons and all) and be thankful.

Excel1 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 25, 2007, 07:42:10 AM »

Don't worry about it. It's not that bad. The dioxin will put hair on your chest...and the soles of your feet

Maverick · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2007, 07:56:16 AM »

I imagine that as of yet the claims have not been verified. Don't get all bent until there is proof that the stuff was even there.

john9001 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2007, 08:10:09 AM »

there is no WMD.

Odee · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2007, 08:12:40 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Maverick
I imagine that as of yet the claims have not been verified. Don't get all bent until there is proof that the stuff was even there.

Here, here! They haven't even said where "here" is... have they.

bj229r · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2007, 08:13:17 AM »

US did such things for decades in a lot of places, but 40-50 years ago, no one knew how bad it was to just dump crap like that in the ground--MacDill air force base was on the short list to get shut down in the early 90's(Tampa)....and there was a HUGE fight as to who was gonna get access to this VERY prime real estate. THEN the EPA aspect came into play--they had been dumping aviation gas on the ground since B17's were their primary plane. Turns out anyone who bought it could become liable for all that --literally having to replace 10 feet of soil on several square miles. Everyone begged off...I think they shut down Homestead instead

Curval · « **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2007, 08:43:58 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Odee
Here, here! They haven't even said where "here" is... have they.

Bermuda.

The Agent Orange claims have not yet been verified but what is certianly verified is the disaster left behind at the other US base with respect to the caves.

Bj229r...they dumped aviation gas on the ground in the US but appear to have had the "foresight" to dump toxic defoliant chemicals offshore.

Goth · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2007, 08:49:46 AM »

Don't feel bad, we dump here in the states too -

Dump Site

Curval · « **Reply #9 on:** June 25, 2007, 09:05:36 AM »

It is YOUR waste. It is only right that it gets dumped in your country.

If this is true about the Agent Orange, what possble benefit did this little island get from it's use in Vietnam? What possible justification could there be for burning and effectively dumping it here...without telling anyone?

lazs2 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2007, 09:07:51 AM »

why did you let em do it in the first place?

seems you are using modern morality and science to condem a practice that was acceptable at the time.

That would be like condeming the brits for the mining practrices in africa where vast amount of arsenic and the like were used and the land destroyed.

lazs

Ripsnort · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2007, 09:08:39 AM »

Quote

BLDC spokesman Richard Calderon confirmed waste material was dumped in the area in question. He said: “It is important to note that the United States completed a rather exhaustive and expensive clean up of this area as a part of and prior to the turnover of the base lands to the Government of Bermuda. It is the BLDC’s practice to perform environmental testing on all sites earmarked for residential or commercial development. The BLDC has no current plans to develop the secured area in question.”

Torque · « **Reply #12 on:** June 25, 2007, 09:48:44 AM »

hehehe...curval, they once lost an atom bomb in the canadian rockies.

Serenity · « **Reply #13 on:** June 25, 2007, 09:52:38 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Torque
hehehe...curval, they once lost an atom bomb in the canadian rockies.

LOL!!! I pitty the hiker starts banging THAT with a stick, lol!

Curval · « **Reply #14 on:** June 25, 2007, 10:00:11 AM »

Rip,

If you believe anything the BLDC tells you, I have a bridge you might be interested in.

Let's take a look at Mr. Calderon's quote:

BLDC spokesman Richard Calderon confirmed waste material was dumped in the area in question.

He doesn't say what waste material. We are aware of the jet fuel and asbestos the navy managed to get away with dumping there....this recent agent orange stuff is the first anyone here has heard of it and comes from a claim by an air force serviceman.

He said: “It is important to note that the United States completed a rather exhaustive and expensive clean up of this area as a part of and prior to the turnover of the base lands to the Government of Bermuda.

Bwwaahhhhh

Did they now? I assume this was part of the same work they did up in Southampton? That involved giving a cheque to a newly elected government for $11 million and saying "Clean it up yourself". Estimates of the ACTUAL cost to do so only emerged later and were estimated to be ten times the amount given.

It is the BLDC’s practice to perform environmental testing on all sites earmarked for residential or commercial development. The BLDC has no current plans to develop the secured area in question.

The BLDC tests the ground...but only if there are plans to develop it, which he admits there isn't. Wonder why...on an island that has a huge housing shortage and very few areas where development is allowed.