Sandblasted at the Shipyard: Recent Episodes
Rebecca Bowe
In San Francisco’s Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood, many have battled cancer and other diseases. Some suspect these health issues are linked to exposure to environmental contamination. "Sandblasted at the Shipyard" is a 3-part audio series on the history of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. From nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands to the secret Cold War nuclear lab that operated at the Shipyard, this series explores the root causes of contamination, and centers of the voices of environmental justice advocates seeking answers today. Host/creator: Rebecca Bowe.
A lot was happening in the world when the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory operated at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. The lab handled radioactive material and studied cleanup methods as part of its work. It also ran studies that exposed animals and humans to small amounts of radiation.
Much of the nuclear waste left in the soil at the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard actually originated in the Marshall Islands, where the U.S. military conducted nuclear bomb tests between 1946 and 1958. The first Pacific nuclear test was Operation Crossroads, in July of 1946. Following that event, the U.S. Navy brought 79 contaminated vessels back to Hunters Point for "decontamination" studies.
For generations, residents have highlighted health concerns in San Francisco's Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood. Heavy industrial operations are clustered in this part of the city, which is also the location of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. In this episode we hear from advocates who have tracked air monitor readings, sought to decode remediation documents, and initiated a biomonitoring survey to uncover what harmful elements may be present in people's bodies.