Radiation safety

Nuclear waste storage concerns expressed

People are seeing what looks like a giant radioactive waste canister making its way through southeastern New Mexico.
The 16-by-8-foot device is fake. Some community members are using it to bring awareness to what they say are dangers of shipping and storing nuclear waste in the state.
The area already has the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad. Now, a company called Holtec International is proposing another underground storage site between Carlsbad and Hobbs.
"The big problem is transportation," said Tom Smith, director of special projects. "There will be approximately 10,000 casks like this that contain this radioactive waste that will be rolling down the rail mines throughout New Mexico and across the country and if one of these were in an accident it would puncture the cask and allow radiation to release."