"Radioactive plutonium was found in the air above Bayview-Hunters Point at twice the federal government's recommended levels, according to a letter San Francisco's chief health officer sent to the U.S. Navy today. The plutonium was found above a parcel in the Hunters Point Shipyard, a Superfund site that has seen decades of radioactive pollution. The measurements were made after years of remediation, and the shipyard is now home to hundreds of housing units."
"Kai Vetter, a University of California, Berkeley, nuclear physics professor who specializes in radiation detection, said that a plutonium level at two times the action level should not be a "cause for concern." It would take 1,000 times the action level to see detrimental health impacts from radiation such as cancer and radiation poisoning, Vetter said. But what may be concerning, Vetter said, is both the delay in relaying the findings to the Department of Public Health and the letter's mention of the grinding of contaminated asphalt, which could cause dust to blow to neighboring communities."
"But the U.S. Navy, which measured the high concentration in November 2024, delayed informing the city of its finding for 11 months. In fact, a Navy representative was adamant when he spoke to Mission Local in July, months after high levels of plutonium were reported to have been found, that the area where the plutonium was discovered posed no risks to residents. He did not mention elevated findings of plutonium."
Plutonium was detected in air above Bayview-Hunters Point at approximately twice federal action levels over a parcel in the Hunters Point Shipyard, a Superfund site with decades of radioactive pollution now hosting hundreds of housing units. The measurements occurred after years of remediation. The U.S. Navy measured the high concentration in November 2024 but waited 11 months to inform the city. A Navy representative later stated the area posed no risks and omitted mentioning elevated plutonium findings. A UC Berkeley physicist said two times the action level should not cause health impacts but noted concern about the notification delay and grinding contaminated asphalt creating dust that could affect neighboring communities.
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