The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "pipes" ...
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Ice Rink Pollution - Danger in the Air
The machines that resurface the ice of many U.S. ice skating rinks, have been found to emit the potentially harmful pollutants, Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Dioxide. E:60 tested 34 rinks throughout the U.S. and found that almost one-third had "dangerous levels" of the pollutants that are released from the machine's exhaust pipes. Also released onto the ice are tiny "Ultrafine Particles," which, when ingested over a long period of time, can cause long-term lung damage.
Tags: Ice hockey; USA Hockey; emissions; ice resurfacing; Carbon Monoxide emissions; Ultrafine Particles; Ken Rundell
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Budget Drain: Leaky pipes, slow response, cost city millions
Panama City cannot account for 575 million gallons of water. The problem is attributed in part to leaky pipes, old water meters and municipal consumption which is not recorded. The amount of water missing equates to approximately $1.3 million.
Tags: Panama City; gallons; water; missing; revenue; 575 million; leaky pipes; leaks; leaking; city; usage; unaccounted;
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Red River Dumping
Millions of gallons of toxic waster were secretly being dumped into a northern Louisiana waterway. The September story started with an anonymous tip and led to the discovery of thousands of pages of online documents revealing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality concerns about the presence of dangerous toxins in waste water stored by CCS Midstream Services, LLC, hidden caches of toxic waste, falsified records and a hidden pipe leading into Red River.
Tags: toxins; public health; environmental violations; protected waters; toxic waste; pollution; dumping chemicals;
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Water Worries
"This four part series found serious flaws in management of the Madison Water Utility and, as a result, troubling problems with safety of the city's water supply. The series showed that the utility's response to the contaminant manganese in the tap water of many Madison homes and the potential health impacts of exposure to the mineral was late and inadequate."
Tags: water; magnese; industrial carcinogen; aging wells; pipes; Board of Water Commissioners; Madison Water Utility
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After dust settles, workers pay with their lives
The reporters investigated genuine concerns over the effect of asbestos exposure at a now defunct factory that produced asbestos cement pipe. Of the fewer than 300 workers that worked there over the factory's existence, 11 died of mesothelioma, five of lung cancer, and eight more died after suffering with severe asbestosis. Most died in their 50's or early 60's. At least 4 more are fighting for their lives and dozens more are suffering with asbestosis. Alabama state laws require workers seeking compensation to file their claims within two years of exposure,although asbestosis usually takes several years to show up. Reporters also examined the problems of workers at other companies that protected themselves by declaring bankruptcy or moving out of state, leaving the victims with little hope of legal redress.
Tags: asbestos; legal liability; acute respiratory illness; Capco; cement-asbestos pipe; mesothelioma; libel; FOIA; industrial safety; health
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Gas Company knew about defective pipe 30 years ago
Dyer reports that 750 miles of faulty gas pipes were installed by a Texas company in the 1970s. Thirty years later, these same gas pipes went unrepaired and eventually exploded, killing five people. Dyer raises questions about why these pipes were installed in the first place and why no one cared enough to fix the problem before it became dangerous.
Tags: gas; pipe; underground; explosion; regulator; assess; watchdog; safety; Austin; fire; Texas Railroad Commission; Lone Star Gas; Ensearch; TXU; polyethylene; utility
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UNC Employees Misuse $300K
Frank documents fraud in his university. Important members of the Radiology department were found receiving kickbacks and piping money to relatives and themselves through contracts.
Tags: University of North Carolina; UNC; misspending; fraud; school of medicine; radiology; audit
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Milk, Bread and Crack Pipes
After mini-mart owners in New York complained to police about the recent string of robberies at their businesses, WNEG-TV started an investigation and found that seven of ten mini-marts they investigated sold crack pipes from behind the counter. The pipes aren't classified as drug paraphernalia and therefore cannot be prohibited from being sold. However, most of the clerks who sold them either denied selling them or said they didn't know what they were for.
Tags: convenience stores; crime; robbery
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A Dangerous Business
New York Times Television investigates McWane Inc. - the nation's largest maker of cast iron pipe. Interviews with workers from the company, reporters found out that McWane had a high incidence of worker accidents almost 4,000 in seven years, where 9 were fatal.
Tags: McWane Inc; worker safety; worker accidents; cast iron pipe factories; fatal worker accidents