The recent plutonium tests are part of BNL's ongoing Superfund activities. Plutonium is a radioactive metal that is a byproduct of nuclear reactor operation. Plutonium is also used for nuclear weapons and satellite power systems. It is present in the environment from past aboveground nuclear weapons testing. There are several different forms of plutonium, called isotopes.
Health authorities state that it is hazardous only if inhaled or ingested.
The plutonium found at BNL is in sediment and soil only, and there is no direct pathway for a person to inhale or ingest it. We have found low levels of plutonium in the soils of the old waste management facility, the soils near the Bldg. 650 area, and in the sediment of the Peconic River tributary that is fed by our Sewage Treatment Plant. We have also found it in waste tanks in the Waste Concentration Facility. Plutonium produced as a byproduct in the BGRR's fuel was able to reach these three areas through actions carried out under past environmental regulations that were much less strict than those in place today.