Plutonium still endangers area around Rocky Flats

Recent air filter samples were found contaminated with plutonium from Rocky Flats in Colorado. The samples were taken after a gale-force wind event where dirt was visibly moving in the air.  ” ‘Plutonium was unequivocally detected in the two …air filters… plutonium was detected in all six of the … samples.” There are trails, National Wildlife Refuges, and recreational activities in the area around the former nuclear weapons facility in Colorado. As a result of this ongoing contamination, Boulder County Commissioners are now reconsidering their involvement in the Rocky Mountain Greenway Project trail system.

“The Greenway project began in 2016 as an effort to connect three National Wildlife Refuges — Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Two Ponds and Rocky Flats — through an interconnected trail system.”

Discovery of the presence, and mobility, of plutonium now puts The Greenway Project in jeopardy because, if constructed, increased activity, foot traffic, etc., may spread contamination to surrounding communities, in addition to endangering the health of those making use of the trails. Plutonium is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as causing lung, bone, and liver cancers in humans.