A new study has revealed alarming levels of plutonium contamination near Los Alamos, New Mexico, the site where the first atomic bomb was developed. The radioactive contamination at Los Alamos may not sound surprising, but the U.S. government's cleanup efforts in the 1960s reportedly reduced it to safe levels. Today, the region welcomes many hikers and outdoor enthusiasts to tread its paths.

The findings have prompted researchers and watchdog groups to call for immediate federal action. However, the government maintains that the area is safe for recreational use.

The contamination is concentrated in Acid Canyon, a site that once served as a dumping ground for nuclear waste from the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Michael Ketterer, a Northern Arizona University scientist and lead researcher on the project, described the situation as unprecedented in his decades-long career.

“What I found here in Acid Canyon is pretty much the most extreme plutonium contamination scenario.” . . in an uncontrolled off-site environment that I have never seen in my career,” Ketterer told the New Mexico Political Reportand added that contamination levels were comparable to those near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine.

A hidden legacy of contamination

Acid Canyon's contamination stems from its history as a radioactive waste repository from 1943 to 1963. The Los Alamos National Laboratory, under the direction of the Department of Defense, discharged liquid nuclear waste into the canyon. Over the years, the site has been the focus of cleanup efforts. However, Ketterer's recent findings suggest that these efforts may not have been sufficient at all.

The study, conducted in collaboration with advocacy group Nuclear Watch New Mexico, found extreme levels of plutonium in soil, water and plant samples. Ketterer said he was shocked at the discovery of such high levels in an area freely used by hikers, cyclists and other outdoor enthusiasts. “This contamination is hiding in plain sight,” he said.

Despite the high concentrations, the immediate risk to people crossing the area is low, according to Ketterer. However, he stressed the potential long-term environmental threats. Plutonium can travel downstream, enter the water supply, be absorbed by plants, and ultimately enter the food chain. Forest fires, which are becoming increasingly common in the region, could also spread radioactive material through ash.

The work followed mapping the group conducted earlier this year that was based on a Los Alamos National Laboratory database including plutonium samples from the region.

Calls for a more thorough cleanup and greater public awareness

Local public health advocates are demanding more from the government. Jay Coghlan, director of Nuclear Watch New Mexico, has expressed concerns about the consequences of the contamination. “The cleanup at Los Alamos has been long delayed,” Coghlan said. He also noted that the federal government has prioritized the production of new plutonium mines for nuclear weapons over addressing the environmental impacts of past nuclear activities.

Coghlan, Ketterer and other experts argue that the federal government should post signs in Acid Canyon warning visitors about the contamination. So far, their calls for action have met with resistance. The Department of Energy (DOE) maintains that the area is safe, pointing to previous cleanup efforts and citing radiation levels that are “very low and well within the safe exposure range,” adding that “the data reported by Ketterer and Nuclear Watch “The information presented is consistent with department data that has been publicly available for years, and that the canyon remains safe for unrestricted use.”

A 2018 DOE study estimated that a person hiking in Acid Canyon would be exposed to a radiation dose of less than 0.1 millirem per year. This is well below the 620 millirems the average American is exposed to annually from natural and man-made sources.

But Ketterer and Coghlan remain unconvinced. They point to the continuous migration of plutonium through runoff during rainfall and the risks of future forest fires. They also add that complete decontamination of the site is virtually impossible, so people should still be aware of the risks when visiting Acid Canyon.

“It really can’t be undone,” Ketterer noted, alluding to the challenge of completely removing radioactive contamination from the environment. “It’s like trying to pick up salt that’s been thrown into a shag carpet.”

A growing concern about renewed nuclear activity

The timing of the study is particularly important. The US Department of Defense recently announced plans to increase plutonium pit production at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Plutonium pits are the radioactive cores of nuclear weapons, and their production marks a revival of nuclear production at the site. This renewed activity, coupled with the continued presence of legacy waste, has heightened tensions among residents and stakeholders.

Annual spending on plutonium mine work has reached nearly $2 billion in recent years, while the budget for waste disposal is expected to fall in the next fiscal year.

Tina Cordova, a representative of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, an advocacy group, expressed her frustration. “It is evidence that New Mexico will forever be contaminated with a radioactive isotope that has a half-life of 24,000 years,” she said The Guardian. Cordova added that the current contamination levels are not surprising given the inefficiency of early nuclear experiments such as the Trinity bomb test, which left significant amounts of unused plutonium.

As the DOE continues to monitor Acid Canyon, many in the community believe greater action is needed to protect the environment and public health. Coghlan and others are calling for new environmental impact studies and stronger cleanup initiatives to address both legacy waste and the risks associated with the new wave of nuclear weapons production at Los Alamos.