A recent study has uncovered “extreme concentrations” of plutonium in the soil, plants, and water of Acid Canyon, a popular recreational area near Los Alamos, New Mexico. This area, once a dumping ground for radioactive waste from the development of the atomic bomb, has now been found to have contamination levels comparable to those at Chernobyl, according to Michael Ketterer, a chemistry and biochemistry professor emeritus from Northern Arizona University.
Ketterer, who presented his findings to the advocacy group Nuclear Watch New Mexico, described the plutonium levels in Acid Canyon as some of the highest he has encountered in any publicly accessible area in the United States. The study reveals that this radioactive contamination, left over from the Los Alamos National Laboratory’s early nuclear activities, poses a potential long-term environmental risk, particularly if the area is affected by wildfires that could spread the radioactive material.
The birthplace of the #AtomicBomb is back in the news. A watchdog group is raising new concerns about legacy plutonium contamination in #LosAlamos‘ Acid Canyon in New Mexico.https://t.co/akDwmvy7ST pic.twitter.com/8R8Q1MuNvM
— Public News Service (@PNS_News) August 23, 2024
Despite these alarming findings, the federal government has maintained that the contamination levels are within safe limits. The Department of Energy stated that the levels of plutonium are “very low and well within the safe exposure range,” dismissing the need for immediate action.
However, local public health advocates, including Nuclear Watch New Mexico, are calling for more aggressive cleanup efforts and for clear warnings to be posted in the area. They argue that while the immediate danger to visitors may be low, the environmental risks are significant, particularly given plutonium’s 24,000-year half-life and its ability to contaminate water supplies and enter the food chain.
The situation has sparked outrage among those who feel the federal government has neglected the long-term consequences of the Manhattan Project and subsequent nuclear activities at Los Alamos. Tina Cordova, of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, emphasized the severity of the issue, calling it a “terrible legacy” for New Mexico.
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