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Scientists find 200,000 barrels of radioactive waste in the ocean
Yahoo • • world
Key Points:
- Over 200,000 barrels of low-level radioactive waste were dumped in the Northeast Atlantic during the latter half of the 20th century, with France alone responsible for over 46,000 barrels in the late 1960s.
- A 2026 French expedition under the NODSSUM project conducted 20 deep-sea dives using the manned submersible Nautile, revealing several corroded containers leaking radioactive material into the surrounding seabed.
- On-site measurements detected radionuclides such as cobalt-60 and niobium-94, confirming leakage from the waste, while cesium-137 and americium-241 were also found but have less certain origins due to other environmental sources.
- Marine life including anemones, sponges, and crabs have colonized the barrels, which provide rare hard surfaces on the muddy seabed, though it remains unclear if these organisms are absorbing radioactive substances.
- The NODSSUM findings are aiding the OSPAR Convention in updating knowledge about historic dumping sites, with ongoing laboratory analyses expected to clarify the extent and form of radionuclide dispersal in the environment.
