Air monitoring at the decommissioned Hunters Point Naval Shipyard detected airborne plutonium-239 in a sample taken from Parcel C, with measurements reported above typical regulatory action levels and confirmed after laboratory analysis. The material was identified in an air filter used during asphalt-grinding work, prompting health and environmental specialists to flag the finding because plutonium-239 is long-lived and particularly hazardous if inhaled.
San Francisco health officials have publicly raised alarms and demanded answers from the U.S. Navy after an apparent delay between the Navy’s initial detection and the city’s notification — local reports cite roughly an 11-month gap that city leaders say undermined transparency and risked public safety. Elected officials, community advocates and local health experts are calling for immediate remedial testing, clearer disclosure of contamination maps, and independent health monitoring for nearby residents.
