Poison in the Well: Radioactive Waste in the Oceans at the Dawn of the Nuclear Age

"Hamblin's examination of radioactive waste dumping in Europe and America is an important and valuable study, particularly for those interested in the role of science, technology, and environment in modern life. " -- Ronald Rainger * Professor of History, Texas Tech University * "A fascinating account of the role of health physicists and marine scientists in the international politics and public relations of dumping radioactive waste at sea. " -- John Krige * author of American Hegemony and the Postwar Reconstruction of Science in Europe * "Poison in the Well tells how British and American nuclear scientists have handled radioactive wastes since World War II, despite uncertainty about long-term genetic and somatic effects, creating a legacy that will last for thousands of years. Interdisciplinary turf battles, government secrecy, and technological hubris all play a role in this well-constructed narrative. " -- Robert W. Seidel * professor of History of Science and Technology, University of Minnesota * "This impressively researched and judiciously argued book challenges readers to think in new ways about what happens when science, politics, and the environment intersect." * American Historical Review * "Hamblin's study is timely and absorbing, discussing an aspect of the history of atomic energy programmes on which very little has been known. Poison in the Well is an incredibly precious expose" * British Journal for the History of Science * "An excellent and balanced book. Hamblin's story is compelling and complex. By avoiding simple conclusions, he provides great insight into Cold War international relations, the dilemmas of going nuclear, the difficulty in determining risk, and the continuing problems we face with untested or newly tested technologies." * Journal of American History *