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 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.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and Washington Group International for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national 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 global security concerns.