San Francisco Public Press has published a special report titled Exposed: The Human Radiation Experiments at Hunters Point. The report sheds light on the US Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory located in San Francisco’s Hunters Point naval shipyard, where at least 1,073 individuals were exposed to harmful radiation between 1946 and 1963 through various experiments. The lab conducted 24 experiments that exposed humans to radiation, causing accidents resulting in doses exceeding federal health limits. The lab’s unethical practices included exposing servicemen, dockworkers, and lab employees to radiation without monitoring the long-term health effects.
The lab’s history of human experimentation has raised concerns about environmental racism, as the shipyard’s pollution disproportionately impacted the predominantly Black working-class community of Bayview-Hunters Point. The navy’s cleanup efforts have been marred by contractor fraud scandals and ongoing health concerns among residents exposed to radioactive and toxic material. The report highlights the ethical shortcomings of the lab’s research practices and urges transparency and accountability in the cleanup process.
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