Reading Room

PLUTONIUM


Since its inception in 1952, Livermore Lab has used large quantities of plutonium, the radioactive core of nuclear weapons. Plutonium from the Lab has been found in the community in the air, in the soil in local parks, and in the sludge at the City sewage plant.

In 2005, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) increased the plutonium storage limit at Livermore Lab to 3,080 pounds, enough for about 300 nuclear bombs.

Tri-Valley CAREs works to terminate plutonium activities at Livermore Lab. Recently, we won a partial victory when DOE agreed to de-inventory most of the Lab's plutonium by the end of 2012. Unlike DOE, we advocate stopping all plutonium experiments at Livermore Lab, including those planned in the National Ignition Facility mega-laser. We also aim to hasten its removal date and to ensure that Livermore Lab's plutonium is never again used in nuclear weapons, not in any location.

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