Plutonium Found at Former San Francisco Naval Shipyard – Navy Faces Cover-Up Claims

In a shocking revelation on 27 November 2025, airborne plutonium was detected at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco, sparking Navy cover-up claims amid health risks to the Bayview neighbourhood.

The Superfund site, contaminated from Cold War nuclear activities, showed plutonium-239 levels twice the federal threshold in November 2024 samples, yet the Navy delayed disclosure for 11 months.

As community outrage mounts over environmental hazards and radiation exposure, advocates demand transparency in this ongoing cleanup saga.

Historical Context of Hunters Point Contamination

The Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, an 866-acre site in San Francisco, served as a staging ground for nuclear weapons testing during the Cold War. In the 1950s, the Navy decontaminated 79 ships irradiated during Pacific Ocean nuclear tests, leading to profound radiological contamination.

The Environmental Protection Agency designated it a Superfund site in 1989 due to hazardous radioactive materials. Additionally, the yard housed a secret Navy research lab where animals were injected with strontium-90, exacerbating environmental hazards. Estimates suggest about 2,000 grams of plutonium-239 remain, posing ongoing risks.

Operations at this Cold War lab exposed at least 1,073 people to radiation, with persistent threats to nearby communities. This history underscores the site's legacy of fallout and experimentation, fuelling current concerns over incomplete cleanups.

The 2024 Plutonium Detection and Delay

In November 2024, the Navy collected 200 air samples at Hunters Point and detected plutonium-239 in one sample at twice the federal action threshold. The sample, from Parcel C adjacent to residential condos and a public park, raised alarms when results emerged in March 2025.

However, the Navy withheld this information from San Francisco officials for 11 months, only disclosing on 30 October 2025. The Navy claimed a re-check showed non-detect, but advocates question this. Navy officials sent the sample to a lab for analysis, and the initial results came back in March 2025, showing high radiation levels.

An X post from Jerry Chamberlain highlighted the Guardian article on the cover-up. This delayed disclosure has intensified scrutiny on the Navy's transparency.

Navy's Response and Community Backlash

At a community meeting on 17 November 2025, Navy environmental coordinator Michael Pound apologised: 'I've spent a fair amount of time up here getting to know the community, getting to know your concerns, transparency and trust, and on this issue we did not do a good job.'

City health officials echoed concerns: 'Full transparency with our communities and the department of public health is critical, and we share your deep concerns regarding the 11-month delay in communication from the navy.' Despite assurances of no immediate action needed, residents express frustration over health risks like lung cancer and radiation sickness from inhaling plutonium particles.

The presence of radioactive air contaminants compounds risks in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighbourhood, burdened by generations of toxins. Multiple tests have detected radioactive compounds in residents' blood and urine, including plutonium. Advocates allege the Navy only reports above background levels without explanation, signifying a botched cleanup.

Federal regulators, including the EPA, have intensified oversight of the Hunters Point cleanup, vowing to conduct independent air monitoring to verify the Navy's claims and restore public confidence. Local activists are pushing for comprehensive health screenings for Bayview residents, emphasising the long-term effects of low-level radiation exposure that could manifest in future generations.