Los Alamos to expand nuclear waste dump
The Los Alamos National Laboratory plans to go against an advisory group recommendation as it expands its nuclear waste dump.
Sean French, a representative from Los Alamos, told the Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board Wednesday construction to expand a dump in Technical Area 54 would begin next year, the Albuquerque Journal reports.
The expansion in an area called Area G would add 30 acres to the waste pits, giving it 40 to 60 years of active dumping capacity.
The advisory board, a federally funded body that advises the Department of Energy on issues related to Los Alamos, issued a report in September against the expansion and urged the laboratory to look at other ways to get rid of waste that was less toxic and hazardous.
Copyright 2005 by United Press International
