The initial discovery was made on June 12, 2003 during normal operations and was immediately followed by a sweep of all areas where the samples could have been located. The full sweep was completed on June 14. A full materials inventory is now underway.
"This material has scientific and analytical research value, but is in a low hazard and threat category," said Laboratory Director George "Pete" Nanos.
The samples, nuclear material mixed with other inert elements, were part of an ongoing experiment related to long-term storage issues.
The samples in this experiment are contained in glass vials and used for periodic evaluation of changes in characteristics or the effects of different processing techniques, such as processes that remove moisture. The samples in question did not originate at Los Alamos.
As a result of the nuclear materials sweep the Laboratory has determined that the material likely was discarded as residue according to approved procedures, but that it was improperly labeled in the Laboratory's material accountability databases. A search of the possible waste stream is under evaluation and should begin this week.
The material in question underwent chemical analysis in late 2001, with all analyses completed by February 2002. At that time only two official options for disposition of the material existed—placement in storage or disposal as residue.
"Because of our recent efforts, we know the materials were not placed in storage," said Nanos. "The weight of circumstantial evidence indicates to us that these two items were discarded as residue, that the glass vials were placed in a transuranic waste drum and that a coding error was made in the Laboratory's inventory system. At this time we have no reason to believe that any other scenario is credible."
All reporting requirements related to this event were strictly observed.
"We will use this discovery to build more robust procedures and quality processes into our material accountability systems," said Nanos. "The lessons-learned in this instance will help us in our continuing efforts to achieve operational excellence and process improvement."
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.