The Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration proposed increasing plutonium's use, storage, and transport at Lawrence Livermore Lab, prompting community concerns. Critics, like Tri Valley CAREs' Scott Yundt, warn this could significantly raise the radioactive material's presence, posing health risks from potential accidents or malicious acts. In contrast, nuclear engineering experts, like Massimiliano Fratoni, assure that stringent safety measures are in place for handling plutonium. The motivation for this expansion stems from evolving national security needs, with a public hearing scheduled to address community concerns before an environmental impact report is compiled.
What this really means is an exponential increase in the quantity of plutonium at the facility, which is of course highly radioactive, said Scott Yundt.
Plutonium is usually handled in isolation. It is typically in systems of three containment structures within which plutonium is handled, said Massimiliano Fratoni.
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