Public health advocates say the US Navy knew for almost a year that tests had detected dangerous levels of plutonium in the air at San Francisco’s Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. The Navy discovered the radioactive material in November of the previous year but informed city officials and residents only after 11 months.
A Troubling Discovery Near Homes and a Public Park
Tests found the plutonium near a neighborhood filled with condominiums and close to a public park where families often visit. Hunters Point has long ranked as one of the most contaminated locations in the United States, and the city plans to redevelop the area with up to 10,000 new homes and a major waterfront district. This new finding has deepened concerns that lingering toxins still threaten the community.
Experts estimate that the shipyard still holds nearly 2,000 grams of plutonium-239, a highly dangerous form of plutonium. Even tiny amounts can harm human health. Breathing in just one-millionth of an ounce can cause cancer with near-certain probability. Because of this, officials treat even a single high reading as extremely serious.
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The city released a public bulletin on 30 October, stressing that transparency was crucial and expressing concern over the Navy’s 11-month delay. The long gap between the test and the warning shocked nearby residents, many of whom have spent years dealing with the risks of pollution drifting from the site.
Navy’s Delay Fuels Doubts About Plutonium Reporting and Safety Claims
The Navy later said the high reading might have been an error but did not deny withholding the information. A cleanup official apologized at a community meeting, but residents and health advocates remain skeptical due to the site’s long record of radioactive waste problems.
Contamination at the shipyard dates back to the 1950s, when workers tried to clean ships exposed to nuclear tests. Early efforts were very basic, and later sandblasting spread contaminated grit across the property. Over time, radioactive dust became deeply embedded in the land.
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The EPA labeled the shipyard a superfund site in 1989, yet disputes continue over whether the cleanup meets national safety standards. In November 2024, the Navy collected 200 air samples; one showed a plutonium level twice the federal limit. Advocates say even a single high reading is alarming because the material is extremely dangerous in small amounts.
The Navy claims a second test showed no contamination, but residents want all data released. The EPA has asked for full access to verify the results. Critics argue the agency has not enforced strict oversight and has relied too heavily on the Navy’s reports, even as radioactive materials—including plutonium—continue to surface across the site.
Plutonium History Adds to Growing Fears Over Hidden Contamination
Hunters Point has a long and troubling history of exposure to toxic and radioactive substances. The Navy once used the site for research involving radioactive materials, including tests on animals. Workers cleaned ships contaminated during nuclear weapons experiments at the site, and they scattered the resulting waste across the yard. Crews also burned irradiated fuel on site. The Navy brought animals exposed to nuclear blasts to the base, spreading contamination through soil, dust, and possibly incinerated remains.
Although cleanup teams have cleared some parts of the shipyard and handed them over to developers, residents living in those areas believe unremediated contamination beneath the surface may be causing health issues, including cancer clusters.
One of the biggest concerns involves thousands of tons of radioactive grit created during the 1950s cleaning process. No one knows the exact location of this buried waste. Critics say the Navy avoids searching for it because finding more plutonium or other radioactive materials would force a costly and extensive cleanup.
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Officials have planned to place a thin layer of clean soil on top of certain areas as a protective cap. However, experts argue that this approach does not solve the problem. They warn that covering contamination does not remove it and that people may still be exposed to harmful materials underneath, including plutonium, if dust is disturbed.
The Navy’s year-long delay in reporting the high plutonium reading has intensified fears among residents who want clear answers, full transparency, and proof that cleanup efforts meet the highest safety standards. The discovery has renewed concerns that more hidden dangers may remain beneath the surface at Hunters Point.