Before the full-scale Russian invasion, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone was one of Ukraine’s most popular tourist attractions, drawing visitors from around the world. While there are other similar sites across the globe, tourists often remain unaware of the true nature of these locations.
In the mid-1940s, the small town of Los Alamos in New Mexico, along with its surrounding areas, became the center of the U.S. nuclear weapons development program. As reported by The Guardian, until 1963, the Los Alamos National Laboratory disposed of radioactive waste in a nearby canyon while the Department of Defense built the national nuclear arsenal. In the following years, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and the Department of Energy undertook a restoration project that cost at least $2 billion. By the 1980s, the area was brought into compliance with federal cleanup standards, making it safe for use. The commission eventually handed the land over to Los Alamos County without any usage restrictions, and it was transformed into a popular trail frequented by bikers, hikers, and runners. For decades, people visited the area to enjoy nature, unaware of the site’s radioactive past.
A recent study, however, revealed that the soil, plants, and water in the canyon are contaminated with “extraordinary concentrations” of plutonium. Michael Ketterer, a research scientist at Northern Arizona University and the project’s lead investigator, stated that the levels of plutonium in Acid Canyon and its surroundings in New Mexico are among the highest he has ever encountered in a public area in the United States during his long career. According to him, the situation is reminiscent of the Chernobyl disaster site. Nonetheless, Ketterer acknowledges that the level of exposure and the immediate danger to those using the trails is low. What concerns him more is the possibility of plutonium entering the water that eventually flows into the Rio Grande River. The substance could be absorbed by plants and enter the food chain, or it could be widely dispersed in ash in the event of a forest fire.
As more research is conducted, the true extent of the radioactive contamination in this seemingly tranquil natural area is coming to light, raising questions about the long-term safety and environmental impact of the legacy left behind by the early nuclear weapons program.
