The Tubes (place)

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Concrete sewage pipes, the structures that give The Tubes its nickname.
Concrete sewage pipes, the structures that give The Tubes its nickname.

"The Tubes" is a term used by local residents to describe the western area in Glassport, a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. More specifically, "The Tubes" refers to several of the large concrete drainage tunnel pieces which lay about the fields. The location has become a common locale for much dirtbike and quad riding, due to the easily accessible sand fields which encompass most of the region.

The area in which The Tubes are situated was once occupied by a Pittron Steel foundry. In 1984, the foundry's interior was destroyed from a fire caused by a malfunctioning molten steel container. Since the disaster, The Tubes have been abandoned.

[edit] Uranium burial

During the unoccupied period of time, the foundry enclosure was surveyed and selected as an ideal spot for the burial of depleted waste of uranium ore used in nuclear tests. The waste was secured underground in lead containment on the building's present site.