In another section of the yard, a colorful mountain of hoses stood more than two stories tall, a radioactive castle beckoning youth to come and climb.
In November, I sent samples of the scale to Sheldon Landsberger, a University of Texas at Austin nuclear engineer. Landsberger found that the material contained levels of radium‐226, a particularly dangerous form of the cancer‐causing radioactive element, at 3,108 picocuries per gram. That’ s some 622 times the limit of 5 picocuries per gram set by the Environmental Protection Agency to protect the public at Superfund sites.
These levels, said Landsberger, were“ significantly higher than allowable legal levels under EPA.”
Samples Gorby sent to Eberline Analytical, a radiological analysis lab in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, showed exceptional levels of radioactive lead and bismuth, as well.
In mid‐April, I returned to the site and, not 20 paces from the fence dividing the yard from the Montour Trail, gathered additional samples of loose scale to send to Landsberger. He found that they had similar radium‐226 levels, at 3,302 picocuries per gram— 660 times the EPA limit.
The situation was so alarming that in late April, I sent a letter to two dozen federal and state officials, ranging from Pennsylvania Health Secretary Debra Bogen, DEP Director Jessica Shirley, and a state radiation complaint line, to Gov. Josh Shapiro’ s office and top officials at EPA, the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission:“ Given the unusual and extraordinary contamination present at this site … I felt the need to, before publishing anything in the media, notify appropriate agencies and officials.”
In early May, the state’ s Bureau of Waste Management visited the site and determined that“ no waste was observed throughout storage lot … no additional actions are needed at this time. Complaint can be closed.”
In response to questions for this story, DEP spokesperson Neil Shader said,“ The Department will continue reviewing the information provided and conduct any additional inspections or follow‐up actions necessary to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and permit requirements.”
Pennsylvania Department of Health spokesperson Neil Ruhland responded,“ We do not have additional information to share.”
Cecil Township did not reply to questions for this story.