Study: U.S. underestimates peril if Los Alamos were to leak plutonium

[Marlin]

Study: U.S. underestimates peril if Los Alamos were to leak plutonium

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/study-u-s-underestimates-peril-if-los-alamos-were-to-leak-plutonium/article_688dd352-266f-4eed-ba8f-ddc621fa3a9f.html

[Core Content]

A new study published in Science and Global Security suggests that the U.S. Department of Energy has significantly underestimated the potential human toll of a plutonium leak at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Researchers found that a containment failure could result in hundreds or thousands of cancer deaths, far exceeding previous government projections.

The findings challenge federal safety models by incorporating modern atmospheric data and lessons from historical accidents at the Rocky Flats Plant. As Los Alamos ramps up production of nuclear bomb cores, the study highlights the risks associated with aging infrastructure and the potential for widespread radioactive contamination following natural disasters like earthquakes.

An accident at LANL could lead to more fatalities than previously estimated by the federal government, according to new research.

An aerial view of Los Alamos National Laboratory in June 2025.

The U.S. Energy Department has underestimated the potential deadly consequences should plutonium escape Los Alamos National Laboratory, which produces bomb cores for America's nuclear weapons, a study published Friday by independent scientists found.

The chances of a leak are considered minuscule. But one is possible, especially following a natural disaster like an earthquake. Plutonium could escape from protective work stations inside a building called Plutonium Facility 4, or PF-4, and ignite. Then, if one or more of the building's safety systems fail, radioactive plutonium particles could enter the outside air and spread through the surrounding communities in a plume of smoke.

Read the full article at Santa Fe New Mexican:
https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/study-u-s-underestimates-peril-if-los-alamos-were-to-leak-plutonium/article_688dd352-266f-4eed-ba8f-ddc621fa3a9f.html