From staff reports
Posted:
03/18/2014 04:21:05 PM MDT
CARLSBAD
-- An additional release of radiation occurred at the Waste Isolation
Pilot Plant on March 11, nearly a month after the first radiation leak
was reported.
Department of Energy officials said in a news release Tuesday afternoon
that new air sampling data showed a "very small" radiation release on
March 11.
Samples collected from the ventilation exhaust recorded 61
disintegrations per minute of americium. DPM measures the amount of
radioactive contamination from alpha and beta rays in an area.
Operations at the nuclear waste dump site 26 miles east of Carlsbad were
suspended in February after a underground truck fire and radiation leak
were reported in separate incidents that occurred 9 days apart.
The DOE believes the most recent contamination was residual radioactive
particles that were trapped in the ventilation system from the initial
radiation leak. Samples collected before and after that date indicate
the radiation at background levels, the department said.
The DOE said it anticipates additional low-level releases on occasion,
but officials expect radiation in the environment will remain at safe
levels.
New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ryan Flynn said the state
was briefed of the news Tuesday morning and thinks there is nothing to
worry about at this time.
"The level they detected is low and we don't believe there was any risk
to public health or the environment but we need to investigate more," he
said.
New air data will be posted on Thursday of each week as it becomes
available at wipp.energy.gov, according to the news release.
Department of Energy officials were not available for comment.
WIPP opened in 1999 and disposes transuranic waste, commonly referred to
as "TRU," into the Permian-age salt bedrock 2,150 feet below ground.
Most of the waste WIPP receives is primarily low-level, solid materials
such as discarded tools and cloths used in the manufacturing of Cold
War-era nuclear weapons.
Outdated equipment, maintenance problems to blame for WIPP fire, officials say
By Zack Ponce
zponce@currentargus.com @zackponce12 on Twitter
Posted:
03/13/2014 09:24:50 PM MDT
CARLSBAD >> Ineffective maintenance and poor safety procedures
by the Nuclear Waste Partnership and previous contractor Washington TRU
Solutions is to blame for last month's underground fire at the Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, according to
Department of Energy investigators.
A salt hauling vehicle was set ablaze on the morning of Feb. 5,
causing evacuations of all 86 workers who were underground at the time.
Six employees were treated for smoke inhalation at Carlsbad Medical
Center and an additional seven were treated on-site.
The fire originated in the truck's engine compartment when either
hydraulic fuel or diesel fuel made contact with the catalytic converter,
according to an accident investigation report released Friday morning
by the DOE. Accident investigation chairman Ted Wyka spoke to Carlsbad
residents during a town hall meeting on
