Sarcophagus

This is a federal Superfund cleanup site. I think of it as our mini-Chernobyl.

A WWII Marine hospital and rehab base was located here and closed right after the war was over. Then it was the first campus of Oregon Tech. Decades later, the barracks were demolished, parcels sold and big houses built. The asbestos in old roofing material was transferred to the soil and in 2001 the federal gov't bought out anyone who wanted to leave.

Afterward, a group of independent scientists analyzed the soil and found a trace of asbestos - about the same as found in ordinary soil. A few residents stayed and there has never been a report of medical problems caused by asbestos.