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Greenland Ice Hides Cold War Pollution Threat
8 Jan
Summary
- A secret US Cold War base, Camp Century, is melting out from Greenland's ice.
- Toxic waste, including diesel fuel and PCBs, poses an environmental risk.
- Disputed cleanup responsibility adds a layer of political uncertainty.
Scientists are alarmed by a hidden Cold War threat beneath Greenland's melting ice sheet. The abandoned US military base, Camp Century, rediscovered through airborne radar, lies 118 feet below the surface and contains hazardous waste.
As Greenland's ice melts rapidly, concerns grow over the release of pollutants like chemical waste, sewage, diesel fuel, and radioactive material. These substances were thought to be permanently entombed, but climate change accelerates their potential emergence.
This environmental risk is compounded by geopolitical tensions in the Arctic. The disposal of waste at Camp Century was based on the assumption of permanent ice containment, an idea now proven unrealistic due to accelerating climate change.
