Thomas Unise
A former waste disposal worker in Texas has revealed alarming details about the illegal dumping of radioactive fracking waste across North Texas, including beneath an elementary school now attended by nearly 500 children.
Whistleblower’s Disturbing Claims
Lee Oldham, a 52-year-old former waste handler from Cleburne, Texas, has come forward with allegations that he and his colleagues routinely dumped tons of contaminated fracking waste in open fields throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. According to Oldham’s interview with the Barbed Wire publication, this practice occurred despite technical prohibitions by Texas state regulators.
Oldham claims his former company, like many others in the industry, chose to bypass proper disposal protocols—which required extensive paperwork, expensive land designations, and significant labor—in favor of simply working the toxic sludge into empty fields. “The whole thing operated on the honor system,” Oldham stated, adding, “And the only honor you can bank on in the oil and gas industry is there ain’t nothing honorable being done.”
Health and Environmental Concerns
The whistleblower’s medical records, reviewed by the Barbed Wire, show severe degradation of his jaw bone and vertebrae—conditions consistent with radiation poisoning. These health issues emerged following his work in the oil-waste disposal industry.
The Dallas-Fort Worth area now reportedly contains between 20 and 60 million tons of hazardous waste from approximately 21,000 oil and gas wells. This waste likely contains a dangerous mixture of:
- Heavy metals
- Radionuclides (radioactive elements)
- PFAS chemicals introduced during drilling
School Built on Toxic Ground
Perhaps most alarming is Oldham’s claim that Pleasant View Elementary School in the new Silo Mills suburban development was built on a field where he personally helped dump fracking waste. This Pre-K to 5th grade school, just 30 minutes from downtown Fort Worth, serves hundreds of young children who may now be exposed to radioactive materials.
The Silo Mills community, which includes approximately 2,500 homes, has been constructed on what Oldham identifies as former dumping grounds. After facing retaliation for questioning practices at his previous employer, Oldham began raising concerns on social media, eventually attracting attention from local law enforcement.
Regulatory Failures
A 2016 audit found that the Texas state oil and gas regulator provided “little deterrent effect” to prevent illegal waste dumping practices. This regulatory failure has potentially allowed widespread contamination across the region.
Long-Term Implications
The article notes that with radioactive materials involved, the environmental impact could last thousands of years. The full extent of the public health threat to residents of Silo Mills and surrounding areas remains under investigation.
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