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Could Plutonium Shipping in New Mexico Lead to Disaster?

Could Plutonium Shipping in New Mexico Lead to Disaster?   Legal Reader, 

PETER CHARLES — January 18, 2022   Santa Fe already sees a considerable amount of radioactive waste transported near its city limits, as contaminated gloves, equipment, and soil are regularly shipped from Los Alamos Laboratory.

Residents of New Mexico are concerned about a plan to ship plutonium through the Land of Enchantment. Many people are totally unaware that nuclear materials are transported through the state on a fairly regular basis, and fewer still are aware of the potential risks. So what happens if one of these semi-trucks crashes, and nuclear waste spills out? What happens if you are injured or irradiated as a result? 

If you have been injured in a semi-truck accident, it’s always best to reach out to a qualified, experienced semi-truck accident attorney in New Mexico. These legal professionals have the resources and knowledge to help you fight for justice in a confident, efficient manner. The truth of the matter is that cargo spills can cause serious injuries to innocent motorists, especially if that cargo is radioactive. This type of material should have never been transported across New Mexico in the first place, and a lawyer can help you seek justice. 

Cold War Plutonium a Concern for Santa Fe Residents

Santa Fe already sees a considerable amount of radioactive waste transported near its city limits, as contaminated gloves, equipment, and soil are regularly shipped from Los Alamos Laboratory to an underground disposal site near Carlsbad. However, the Department of Energy’s new plan is to ship leftover plutonium from the Cold War through the south side of the city, which is much more dangerous compared to normal radioactive waste. There are 26 metric tons of plutonium that needs to be disposed of, and this plutonium has to be extracted from bomb cores before being transported. 

In addition, the plutonium is so deadly that it must be diluted before it is transported. Otherwise, it would violate regulations at New Mexico’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. The site explicitly rejects anything other than low-level nuclear waste. The process involves shipping the plutonium to Los Alamos Lab, turning it into an oxide powder, and then shipping back across New Mexico’s highways to South Carolina.

Finally, the powder would be diluted even further before returning back to New Mexico and being stored at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Critics say that having plutonium shipped back and forth multiple times across New Mexico is an accident waiting to happen. …….. https://www.legalreader.com/could-plutonium-shipping-in-new-mexico-lead-to-disaster/

January 20, 2022 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes