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Toxic Waste is a pollutant comprised of chemical material found throughout the wastelands.
Background
Before the war, hazardous materials were created as byproducts of research and industry. Companies chose to dispose of such waste in a variety of ways, from storage in containment barrels, burying, concealing within caves, or dumping into waterways. Due to the impact of disposal methods on the environment, regulatory measures were put in place and simultaneously circumvented by the companies under scrutiny, such as with the Red Rocket Truck Stop.[1][2][Pub 1] Hazardous material inspectors checked locations unannounced such as the operations at the Mass Fusion containment shed, a company with the motto "the leader in the safe handling and disposal of radioactive waste," where toxic waste was being illegal dumped into Lake Quannapowitt.[3][Pub 2]
The need for secure waste storage resulted in the Department of Energy's 10,000 Years Initiative mitigation program, with the aim of providing secure locations to dispose of waste products while also conveying to future inhabitants the dangers the waste posed to life. The Emmett Mountain Disposal Site mentions struggles with how much toxic waste was incoming, lacking space, staff issues, and lack of resources to safely and adequately handle the waste.[4] Waste was dumped in other parts of the country as well, such as in the deserts of Nevada and in Massachusetts.[5][6][7][8]
Gameplay
Some instances of waste exist in the environment, collecting in pools or bodies of water, while others are unearthed having been previously buried, or stored within barrels that have decayed to the point of spilling into the surrounding area. Some variations of toxic waste are of a green or yellow color. Waste can cause harmful or fatal genetic modifications.[9] Creatures also experience mutations as a result of exposure to toxic waste.[Pub 3] The golden geckos near Klamath consume toxic waste leaking from barrels in nearby caves.[10]
Locations
- Scout Leader Pompy at Kiddie Corner Cabins requests help in finding, cleaning up and storing several toxic mutagenic waste spills around Appalachia. Possible spills are located in Grafton, at Hemlock Holes, in the toxic dried lakebed and within the Willard Corporate Housing complex. Other locations are seen around the Old Nuclear Test Site, Toxic Dump Site and within Federal Disposal Field HZ-21.
- Toxic waste can be found freely flowing in the ruins of Los Angeles, acting as an impassable moat for the Gun Runners fortress. Toxic Caves, containing leaking barrels of waste, northwest of Klamath Falls, Oregon. There are instances of toxic waste at the toxic waste dump, at Powder Ganger Camp West, around the toxic pond and wreckage, within Vault 34 and in Swan's Pond. Several pools of toxic waste are found throughout the exterior areas of Big MT.
- Significant evidence of toxic waste dumping can be seen throughout Black Mountain, the Devil's Throat and Dunwich Borers. Several NW Disposal Systems trucks with such waste were on the way to San Onofre when they were diverted to Cottonwood Overlook and Searchlight fire station.[11] Those same waste barrels were utilized by Caesar's Legion to destroy the New California Republic base at Camp Searchlight.
Gallery
The Gun Runners fortress
Toxic Caves level 2
Barrel Burial
Barrel Burial
Barrel Burial
References
- ↑ Trashbusters Award
- ↑ Red Rocket truck stop terminal entries; Red Rocket terminal, Safe Storage
- ↑ Mass Fusion containment shed terminals; supervisor's terminal, 8/22
- ↑ Emmett Mountain Disposal Site terminal entries; Emmett Mountain disposal terminal, Weekly Log EMDS-002A
- ↑ REPCONN Headquarters; Tour messages, "Radioactive Waste?" and "Nuclear Family!"
- ↑ Arcade Gannon: "Nuclear waste disposal. Pre-War, people figured there was so much desert in Nevada, you might as well turn it into a big dumping ground. People didn't like it, but they weren't about to give up easy access to power, not with all of the petroleum drying up."
(Arcade Gannon's dialogue) - ↑ Mass Fusion Disposal Site
- ↑ Mass Fusion containment shed
- ↑ Scout Leader Pompy: "Toxic mutagenic waste may cause spurious genetic modifications, some of which may be harmful or even fatal."
(Scout Leader Pompy's dialogue) - ↑ Chosen One: "I wonder why they didn’t finish you off?"
Smiley: "Well, I guess they don’t like to crawl through the goo too much. I can’t say as I blame them. It sure burns if gets on your skin. But that doesn’t seem to stop ‘em from licking up the darn stuff like it was Buckner’s Best."
(Smiley's dialogue) - ↑ Camp Searchlight terminal entries; chief fire officer terminal, Chief Fire Officer Report No. F1-218
- ↑ Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Collector's Edition pp. 258-259: "[1.03] RED ROCKET TRUCK STOP
This is a service station between Sanctuary Hills and Concord. It seems ex-employees of the company had a habit of dumping hazardous materials in the cave beneath the station instead of disposing of them properly. Check the hill to the south for an entrance to the cave (now a Mole Rat Den), but watch for explosive barrels in this confined burrow. There's a safe (Novice) in here, as well as an ironic Trashbusters Award (Note), a pipe pistol, and some ammo. Also of interest is a Fusion Core (by the note), which helps give continuous juice to your Power Armor."
(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide/Map) - ↑ Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Collector's Edition p. 281: "[2.13] MASS FUSION CONTAINMENT SHED
Mass Fusion is the leader in the safe handling and disposal of radioactive waste. Except here the place is overrun with Feral Ghouls and spilled barrels. Check the outside balcony for a cooler (Novice). Inspect the supervisor’s terminal (Novice) to unlock the security door. Check the secure area for a toolbox (Novice) and a gate to a steamer trunk."
(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide/Map) - ↑ Fallout 3 Official Game Guide p. 256: "0.41: ATTACK OF THE ANT GIANT!
"A group of Giant Ants gathers around a spilled toxic waste barrel. As you near, one of the ants steps into the waste, grows to three times its normal size, and attacks!"