On August 29th, the UN General Assembly marked the International Day against Nuclear Tests. Let's reflect on the Marshall Islands, a place that was used for testing American atomic weapons during the Cold War.
The Marshall Islands, found in the central Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Philippines, are made up of volcanic islands and coral atolls. Among these is Runit Island, which is now a site for US radioactive waste.
The Runit Dome, a wide cement structure about 115 meters thick, contains over 90,000 cubic meters of radioactive soil and debris. These materials are a result of the US's secret Cold War nuclear testing program. However, the exterior of the cement structure has been aging and developing cracks, causing concerns about potential contamination.
Aerial view of the Runit Dome. The dome is placed in the crater created by the "Cactus" nuclear weapons test in 1958. © Photo : Public Domain
Between 1946 and 1958, the US conducted 67 nuclear bomb tests ab...
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