Laboratory reports contaminated soil

Contact: James E. Rickman, jamesr@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9203 (02-091)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Aug. 8, 2002 -- Officials at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory today reported to state officials the discovery of a small amount of soil contaminated with organic chemicals.

The soil was unearthed Tuesday during trenching operations at Technical Area 48. The trenching, which was being conducted as part of site preparation for a new building, revealed a small portion of soil that appeared damp and produced a chemical odor. As a standard precaution, members of the Laboratory’s Hazardous Materials Team took samples of the soil. Preliminary analysis of the samples indicates that the soil contained several benzene compounds. Benzene compounds are widely used as solvents.

Laboratory personnel notified officials with the New Mexico Environment Department about the situation in accordance with regulatory procedures and are continuing to investigate the origin of the chemicals.

The contaminated soil does not pose an immediate threat to workers, the public or the environment. The Laboratory has begun preparations to fully characterize the nature and the extent of the contamination and to determine its source. The Laboratory will work closely with state and federal regulatory officials on timely cleanup of the soil.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.

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