Families in a San Francisco neighborhood are demanding answers after learning that a dangerous radioactive leak was discovered near their homes almost a year ago. The substance, identified as Plutonium-239, was found at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, close to a park and playground where children regularly play. The most alarming part of this discovery is that the U.S. Navy, which found the substance, did not inform the public or city health officials for eleven months.
The specific location of the leak, known as Parcel C, sits on a hillside overlooking condominiums and a community park. This means that residents have been living and recreating in the shadow of a potential radiation hazard for nearly a year without any knowledge or warning. The health implications of this exposure are serious. Airborne plutonium is particularly dangerous because it can be breathed in. Once inside the body, the tiny particles can settle in the lungs or move to other organs, releasing radiation over many years and increasing the long-term risk of cancer.
The history of the Hunters Point area adds to the community’s anxiety. For decades, the former naval shipyard has been known to be contaminated from its past work cleaning ships that were involved in atomic bomb testing. It is officially listed as a Superfund site, meaning it is among the most polluted places in the country. This new discovery of plutonium confirms residents’ worst fears that the danger is not just in the past, but is a present and ongoing threat.
In response to the news, San Francisco’s health officer, Dr. Susan Philip, has taken action, demanding all the data from the Navy and launching a review of air quality monitoring. She has publicly expressed her deep concern over the unacceptable delay in communication. For local families, the situation is frightening and frustrating. They are now left wondering about the air they have been breathing and the safety of their neighborhood, calling for immediate transparency and thorough testing to ensure their community is safe.
