Radioactive waste from World War II uranium processing was discovered under six homes in St Louis, prompting evacuation orders and compensation for affected families. The contamination originates from Manhattan Project-era operations, including uranium purification at facilities like Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, where waste was often improperly stored and exposed to the elements. Contaminants migrated into Coldwater Creek, and a 2025 study linked childhood residence near the creek with increased cancer risk from prolonged exposure. Evacuees will receive home-value compensation, mortgage payoff funds, and relocation assistance. Other U.S. sites, including Hanford, Oak Ridge, and Los Alamos, continue to face dangerous contamination challenges.
The contamination traces back to the Manhattan Project, the US-led World War II research and development effort that produced the first atomic bombs. Much of the radioactive material was improperly stored, leaving it exposed to wind and rain for decades. Over time, the waste spread into nearby Coldwater Creek, and a 2025 study found that individuals who lived near the creek during childhood face an increased risk of cancer from prolonged exposure to the contaminated water.
The affected families in Florissant, a city in St Louis County, have been ordered to evacuate. They will receive compensation covering the value of their homes, funds to pay off their mortgages and additional money to help purchase new properties. One Florissant mother, who asked to remain anonymous, said the contamination was never disclosed to her before closing and that the ordeal has been deeply traumatizing. 'Thank God I don't have cancer, but what about the mental anguish for the last few years?' she said.
St Louis itself played a crucial role in the Manhattan Project, housing uranium processing plants such as the Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, which purified uranium for nuclear weapons. These operations generated large amounts of radioactive waste, much of it improperly stored and exposed to the elements. Over the decades, some waste was dumped across multiple sites around the city, including residential neighborhoods, creating long-term contamination risks.
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