Radiation Leak in New Mexico: Weve never seen a level like we are seeingKimberly Paxton WIPP is housed at an old salt mine, and toxic waste like plutonium is housed half a mile underground. All of the 139 workers were sequestered on site. WIPP is the nations first transuranic nuclear waste repository, used to permanently dispose of low-level nuclear waste from government sites around the nation. These are radionuclides that are of a hazard if inhaled, but it is not the kind of radiation that penetrates, and so the primary concern for the release of this nature is (through) the ventilation passageway and thats why our employees are sequestered in place, said Roger Nelson, a Department of Energy spokesman. (source) There have been false alarms in the past, but the DoE said initially that this was a legitimate leak. The Department of Energy is conducting testing at the site. There is no indication of what caused the leak at this time. According to the DoE, despite their initial statement, theres no longer real cause for concern. Last night, they released updated measurements on the number of potentially harmful airborne alpha and beta particles and said that none seems to have reached the surface. The story changed dramatically, taking a turn for the positive, as Nelson said that the leak was not significant. Monitors at the WIPP boundary have confirmed there is no danger to human health or the environment, the department said late Saturday night. No contamination has been found on any equipment, personnel, or facilities. (source) Do you feel reassured? Kimberly Paxton is a staff writer for The Daily Sheeple, where this first appeared. She is based out of upstate New York. You can follow Kimberly on Facebook and Twitter. 