The amount of contamination found on the two flies poses no health risk, she said. The incident is the latest development as Hanford tries to keep flies and gnats from spreading spots of slightly radioactive contamination. The problem began in late September. Trash from the B Plant area was routinely sent to Richland's landfill - then it was found to contain small spots of radioactive contamination. Followup searches found spots of strontium contamination scattered in the B Plant area.
Insects are the suspected carriers.
One suspected origin of the contamination is a valve box near B Plant. The federal site's lead contractor, Fluor Daniel Hanford, is trying to determine if other potential sources exist. Numerous insect traps are scattered in central Hanford. And until Friday, the last contaminated fly was trapped Oct. 8. But three new contaminated spots were found last week in two insect traps and one Dumpster near B Plant, according to a Hanford memo to all employees.