OTO plays a key role in cleaning up suspected Western Mass depleted uranium contamination sites

OTO recently played a key role in clearing western Massachusetts locations suspected of being contaminated with depleted uranium. These sites were test locations for a variety of munitions, some of which incorporated the extremely hard and dense depleted uranium metal. Depleted uranium is a by product from the manufacture of enriched uranium, which is used to fuel nuclear reactors. Depleted uranium is less radioactive than naturally occurring uranium, but is still radioactive enough to cause concern.

OTO staff worked closely with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Public Health to develop and implement radiation survey protocols capable of assessing whether significant amounts of depleted uranium had been released. After the surveys were completed, it was concluded that any uranium that may have been used at the subject locations had been cleaned up and there was no health risk to the public.