Very old news, indeed

[rwreich]

Hello All,

I was reading this story and wondering if anyone in this forum might be familiar with the details. It's very old news, indeed:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/sci...-accidentally-discovered-radioactive-fallout/

- Wayne

 

[Photo Engineer]

This did indeed happen, and Kodak had to install new air scrubbers/filters and shoe baths at entrances to buildings to filter out or wash off these contaminants.

PE

 

[rwreich]

This did indeed happen, and Kodak had to install new air scrubbers/filters and shoe baths at entrances to buildings to filter out or wash off these contaminants.

PE

I recognize that the era and culture was very different than what we see, today, but I wonder what you (and others) might think about the responsibility of a corporation to inform the public regarding dangerous government activity. I'm not blaming anyone, to be sure. The threat of other foreign hostilities seemed much greater at that time, so I can sympathize with anyone having to make such a difficult decision.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

Careful... Big Brother is watching...

 

[rwreich]

Careful... Big Brother is watching...

If you never hear from me again...

 

[Photo Engineer]

Many Kodak researchers worked on the Manhattan Project. However, the event you describe and its resolution were quite public news, as the people near the test site could see it take place, and universities and other sites detected the fallout. Kodak did not resolve the issue until months had passed IIRC.

PE

 

[rwreich]

Many Kodak researchers worked on the Manhattan Project. However, the event you describe and its resolution were quite public news, as the people near the test site could see it take place, and universities and other sites detected the fallout. Kodak did not resolve the issue until months had passed IIRC.

PE

Yes, I don't mean to insinuate that Webb or any other Kodak employees were hiding anything. This sentance, quoted from the article, is the basis of my statement: "The AEC responded that it would look into it, but assured Kodak there was little reason to worry, even allowing the company to issue a press release to the Associated Press stating that snow "that fell in Rochester was measurably radioactive..." but "there is no possibility of harm to humans and animals.""

If a government agency had asked the same of a corporation, today, the news would leak and it would not be good. I would not be very trusting of government sources claiming there was no possibility of harm. The mere suggestion that the fallout could easily reach the East Coast and that contamination was most likely found in precipitation and river water would be especially alarming.

 

[Photo Engineer]

The snow that fell was radioactive!

The paper was not the main problem.

PE

 

[rwreich]

Point taken

 

[cmacd123]

Kodak did advertise that it made special films for Atomic Bomb Testing "Shell Burst" - so they were probably involved right from the start, which in turn would mean that any "sensitive" statements would have had to be cleared with the military. the quantities and specs of many materials provided during WWII were likely restricted. For example, Kodak is a known source of "Film Badges" used to measure exposure of Atomic workers. no doubt the fact that these were going to New Mexico at the time would be highly sensitive. On the other hand - Many Kodak products were indispensable for military uses at the time, and so the Government likely provided secret briefings to the company.

 

[AgX]

That fallout was a issue to the whole photochemical industry.

Actually the radioactive particle problem was encountered even before the war! In Germany.

 

[DREW WILEY]

It would be a novel way to expose a "selfie".

 

[AgX]

Kind of blown up autoradiography.