Advanced TENORM levels found in landfill
By Jack Dura
Farmer Staff Writer
Radioactive waste found in excess of acceptable levels at a local landfill has some McKenzie County residents questioning trust of regulators.
In May and June, upon surveying working areas of the 12 landfills in northwestern North Dakota designated as disposal sites for technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material, the state health department found the Indian Hills Disposal Solids Management landfill north of Alexander had “some high readings” of TENORM, said Steve Tillotson, assistant director of the state’s waste management division.
“We worked with them. They removed some and we ... found some more on a second trip and we required them to do a survey of the whole site, and that found some more,” Tillotson said, adding 950 cubic yards of radioactive waste were found at the landfill, while another 1,000 cubic yards were reportedly hauled out later.
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