Plutonium spill worries Sen. Salazar
By Laura Snider, Daily Camera
Published June 18, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar expressed concerns Tuesday about the recent plutonium spill at the National Institute of Standards and Technology lab in Boulder.
"Clearly, some scientific research demands the use of radioactive materials," Salazar wrote in a letter to James Turner, NIST's acting director. "However, the use of these or other hazardous materials and equipment requires a heightened level of responsibility and control."
In his letter, Salazar requested that the lab provide him with the measures being taken to secure radioactive material, along with information about NIST's radioactive source inventories, radioactive surveys, spill decontamination drills and fire drills in spaces containing radioactive materials.
"I am certain we agree that a stringent, documented level of safety education and procedures, including radioactivity surveys and decontamination drills, is in the best interest of the laboratories and the staff," Salazar wrote.
More than 20 employees were exposed to the plutonium that spilled when a vial was cracked last week.
The employees are being monitored for radiation, but so far none have tested positively.
Plutonium must be ingested or inhaled to pose a health risk.
Featured
-
Holiday movies
Check out our movie page to read reviews and see your holiday options.
-
Holiday Lights
Is your house the jolliest on the block? Submit your holiday lights display.
-
Mount Crushmore
Which four Broncos greats should be immortalized on Mount Crushmore? Vote here.
-
Broncos-Jets Action
Visit our photo galleries for some hard-hitting action photos from Sunday's game.
-
Bronco Dean's rant
Listen to Bronco Dean's postgame rant on the Jets.
-
Rocky Multimedia
The news comes alive in our videos and slide shows. Catch up on what's happening today.
-
Stein's View
Editorial cartoons by Ed Stein
-
Holiday Gift Guide
Looking to get a jump-start on the holiday shopping season?
-
The Rocky @ 150 Years
Read the Rocky's coverage of Colorado's cannibal, Alfred Packer, in 1886.
Post your comment
Registration is required. Click here to create your free user account, or login below.
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.