8 Dec 2023

Linde Site

From 1942 to 1946, the former Linde Air Products Division of Union Carbide processed uranium ores at its ceramics plant in Tonawanda, New York, under contract to the Manhattan Engineer District (MED). In 1953, the Linde facilities were cleaned to within radioactive guidelines in effect at that time. All of the structures used in processing have since been converted to other commercial and industrial uses.

11 Dec 2023

Luckey Site

In 1942, a magnesium processing facility was built at the Luckey Site on U.S. government land. National Lead operated the facility for the U.S. government during World War II until 1945. In 1949, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) built a beryllium production facility at the site where Brush Beryllium Company (later Brush Wellman) produced beryllium oxide, beryllium hydroxide, and beryllium pebbles. Beryl ore is a natural product of the earth and may be excavated with rocks containing varying concentrations of radium-226, thorium-230 and uranium. The chemical processes to extract beryllium also separates other elements, including radium, thorium and uranium. This resulted in products with more concentrated beryllium, and incidentally generated waste streams with enhanced concentrations of radium, thorium and uranium. The products were then shipped to other facilities for further processing.

11 Dec 2023

Seaway Site

The Seaway Site, located in Tonawanda, New York, was operated as a landfill from 1930 to 1993, accepting a variety of municipal, commercial, construction, and industrial wastes. Nearby, in the 1940s, the former Linde Air Products Division of Union Carbide processed uranium ores under contract to the Manhattan Engineer District (MED). The mill tailings from the FUSRAP-related activities were transported from the Linde Site to the former Haist Property, now known as the Ashland 1 Site. During the mid-1970's, Ashland Oil constructed oil tanks on the Ashland 1 property. During the construction, materials containing radioactive residues were removed from the area and transported by Ashland Oil to the Seaway landfill and what was the Ashland 2 Site and used as cover or grading material. This material was also placed in what is now known as Seaway Areas A, B and C.