WATFORD CITY, N.D. (AP) -
State health officials say radiation from material stored in leaking trailers in northwest North Dakota doesn’t appear to pose a health hazard.
The Bismarck Tribune (https://bit.ly/1jWbrSb) reported Saturday that the North Dakota Department of Health has asked the Wyoming-based trailer operator to put the waste in proper containers and provide authorities with a cleanup plan.
The newspaper reported that the leaking trailers housed used filter socks, which are used to strain liquids in the oil production process and can become contaminated with naturally occurring radiation.
A team of experts with the agency determined that radiation levels “do not appear to present any public health hazards,” said Brad Torgerson, who is part of the agency’s waste management division.
The leaking trailers were reported to McKenzie County officials Thursday. They were found on a property southwest of Watford City and belong to RP Services based in Riverton, Wyo.
Spokesman Gil Roden said North Dakota’s disposing protocols are new to the company. He said the organization is working to properly dispose of the filter socks.
The state’s health department has said the filters should not be landfilled anywhere in North Dakota. Per agency policy, the socks must be handled by certified companies and disposed of in other states.
Anyone responsible for illegally dumping filter socks can be charged up to $1,000 per sock.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.