foo : o¢ ! sty wse about the levcls vf contaisnation encomrered east of Rocky Plats. Iinally I would like to describe the problem.ina larger contex & aa the yoar 2000, plutoaium~269 has been coajecturca to be a major energy eource. Commercial production is projected at 29 tons per year ty 7°79, in excess of 100 tons per year by 2000. academic quastion. Pluionium contamination is not an Unless fusion reactor feasibility is demonstrated in the near future, the cammiitrment will be made to liquid metal fast breeder oo -eactors fueled byplutonium. : Since fusion reactors ¢are pr esently specula- tive, the decision for liquid metal fa st breeders should be anticipated and | plutonium should be considered as a rnajor pollutant of remarkable toxicity and persistence. Considering the enormous economic inertia involved in tho commitment itis imperative that pub ce howlih aspects be carefully ond honesUy defined prior to active promotion of the industry. ‘Tro live sanely with plutonium one rnust appreciate the potential magnitude of the risk, and be able to rmonitor a;& aingt all sienificant hazards. . 2 . . An indeterminate amount of plutonium has gone off site at a major facility 10 railes upwind frorn a metropolitan area. t ne loss was unncticed. ~ The origin ig somewhat speculative as is the ultimate depositicn. ‘The health and safely of public and workers are protected by a set of standards for plutonium acknowledged to he meaningless. ° Such things make a travesty of public health, and raise serious questions about a hurried acceptance of nuclear energy.