Church Rock Tailing Pile Spill Site, New Mexico

The tailing's impoundment dam failure, across the road from United Nuclear's uranium mill at Church Rock, on July 16, 1979, is referred to as the largest accidental release of radioactive waste in the USA, and is second only to Chernobyl in the amount of radiation released. While no one was killed immediately, it is unknown how many have been effected by long term exposure. The failure caused an estimated 1,100 tons of radioactive mill waste and 95 million gallons of liquid effluent to flow into the Puerco River, which flows through the Indian country of western New Mexico, effecting as much as 80 miles of the riverbed.