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The Los Alamos laboratory, which is being used as a manufacturing facility to process plutonium for nuclear triggers is at threat from fire. DemocracyNow has a very recent update from Greg Mello of the Los Alamos Study Group. Mello reports that fire spotted (leaped) into the lab but was contained. Fire is currently half a mile from a large dump (1.65 million gallons) of low level waste, and three miles from the lab itself. Tritium as well as plutonium could be released. Plutonium is especially dangerous if inhaled, since as little as one microgram in the lungs will cause cancer, so a fire-borne release would be especially dangerous.
Image of Los Alamos Laboratory Technical Area 55 during January 2009
Mello stresses that the risks of catastrophic release are small, since the lab is not particularly flammable, and the radioactive waste includes non-flammable materials such as cement paste. Still, the site is also prone to earthquakes, so Murphy’s Law could turn what is presently a situation of concern into a full-scale catastrophe. LASG has a Twitter feed here.
This is the third US nuclear facility currently at threat. The Fort Calhoun and Cooper plants near Omaha are at danger of flooding.
It is time for a genuine review of nuclear safety, one not influenced by industry and the weapons complex.
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Added: Thanks to FDL for promoting this diary. I should note that I heard the estimate of 1 microgram of plutonium causing cancer is from Michio Kaku many years ago, and it is echoed by Helen Caldicott, MD who has reviewed the literature and is very knowledgeable. The estimate is disputed, of course, and we can only hope for the sake of the Japanese in the Tohoku district and environs and for residents living near nuclear sites at risk that Caldicott and Kaku are wrong. I wouldn’t bet my life on it, though.
Also note, that the Las Conchas fire is reported as of late afternoon, June 28th, to have spread to 61,000 acres by a local NM TV station.
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Update 2, 11AM Eastern, June 29th: A map of the Las Conchas fire is found here.
AP has a map showing the fire in relation to the labs and the town of Los Alamos here.
The one bit of good news, if one can call it that, is that there was a huge fire 11 years ago, so there are patches of barren earth and tree stumps, making it harder for the fire to leap (Phil Parker, ABQJournal).
12 Comments
I think we need a job stimulus to fight fires and rebuild dikes next to nuclear plants. There is flooding by a nuclear plant already thanks to a failed dike.
One accident especially after Japan could end Nuclear power in America I would support that…but not like this:(
Nuclear facility rehab/safety would certainly be a worthy goal for stimulus funding, TCU. Let’s hope that there are a few sane people in the Congress.
I don’t think any actual triggers have been produced since about 1989. That’s when the last nuke warhead rolled off the line.
Boxturtle (I think the only thing that’s happened since then is tritium replacement)
Well, Boxturtle, they’re baaack.
That’s dated July 2, 2007
That in itself is scary.
Recommend. “It is time for a genuine review of nuclear safety, one not influenced by industry and the weapons complex.” I totally agree.
If you want real crazy, look up the safety record of Pantex, located in Amarillo, not that far from the Los Alamos facility–at least not by Texas-as-the-crow-flies standards. Pantex is not a nuclear power plant. It is a plant (the only one in the nation) where they disassemble nuclear warheads. And to get you started, David Grisham, a member of militant Christian Group called “Repent Amarillo” is one of the security guards at this plant, or at least he was the last I heard. David attempted to burn a Koran last year in Amarillo, but a local skateboarder breezed by and grabbed it out of his hands.
http://iflizwerequeen.com/?p=6944
http://iflizwerequeen.com/?p=6698
Lovely. I turn my back for a minute, and the rats go and build a pit. Reading the story, it looks as though this was simply for destructive testing replacement.
Or I could take off my tinfoil, remember that the W88 pit is the most advanced pit. It’s egg shaped, rather than round. And then see them crowing about having lost and regained the ability to make these pits. I wonder if restarting a production line was important, since the w88 can pack more punch in a smaller package and wasn’t Deadeye looking for some special purpose nukes about then…
Boxturtle (You could make a primary about the size of a couple sixpacks)
Thanks for this article.
I don’t know how to get the word out about this.
Broadcast media will not even report on what’s going on in Japan. Major papers like the LA & NY Times are downplaying the situation. Meanwhile, here in California, there are serious issues with nuclear plants sited near fault lines that intersect, are recently discovered, have numerous safety issues and complaints, etc.
People don’t read enough, they don’t know. It is an accident waiting to happen and I am worried.
of course, Livermore is where the actual development of programs is going on now.
Could you expand on that, Ruth? It’s not clear to me what you’re getting at.
Talk to your friends and family, Cindi. Not to scare them, but to let them know that if they want to know what’s going on, they can’t be passive news consumers.
Oh, wow, Liz! Those are some terrific posts! You should bring them over to FDL. I think I’ll link them over at my blog. I especially liked this one: