, 14 tweets, 5 min read Read on Twitter
1/ Did you know that the military is one of the country’s largest polluters? Yup. And we’re doing a series on it. Here’s what we got so far:
2/ Today, we published a story on how the military outsources its disposal of hazards. Meaning other companies take care of them.
3/ But there’s a problem w/ that. Here’s a few words we used to describe that problem: Incompetence. Fraud. Bribery. propub.li/2xIX57x
4/ For example, at one site, hazards were stored improperly and there was a massive explosion.
5/ So, what are the consequences? A legacy of environmental damage. Plus, places will only get worse if oversight isn't tightened.
6/ Yet the problems with outsourcing military-hazard disposal is just one aspect of why the military is the country’s largest polluter.
7/ The military gets rid of munitions & related waste by burning/blowing it up. Affect the environment? Yup. propub.li/2xJjod2
8/ Here’s a stat: There are 39,400 known or suspected toxic sites on 5,500 current or former Pentagon properties.
9/ And across the country, military sites burn hazardous waste into open air. There are 61 active site in the US: propub.li/2xIoSou
10/ Another stat: EPA staff estimate that these known or suspected toxic sites cover 40 million acres.
11/ Check this out: In one year, at one facility, 1.7 million pounds of hazardous waste burned in the open air. propub.li/2hxqPKE
12/ People actually live around that facility. It’s in a tiny, African-American town in the corner of Louisiana. propub.li/2hw0Q6z
13/ The explosions—“Like World War III or the Fourth of July,” said one resident—are simply the soundtrack to life. propub.li/2xIp6Mm
14/ We’re not done. We have a few more stories on the way. Get them by subscribing to our major investigations email propub.li/2fkk2XQ
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