A temporary disposal site for uranium tailings that were once used in construction projects around Durango has been proposed south of town, but some nearby residents are not happy. In the mid-1900s, people freely used uranium mill tailings that were piled up at the smelter in Durango, which is now the Durango Dog Park, for construction around town. In the 1980s, a massive, multi-million dollar effort led by the U.S. Department of Energy sought to clean up the radioactive waste, which resulted in 122,000 cubic yards being removed from Durango homes, businesses, public buildings, roads and parks. But earlier this year, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said more than 100 properties were missed and still require cleanup. Health officials suspect properties have been passed over for a number of reasons: tailings could have been relocated, properties could have been partially but not fully cleaned or, in some cases, the homeowner at the time refused to take part in the project. The state, however, hasn’t been able to secure a site locally that would serve as a staging area where residents could bring the tainted material. The plan would then be for state health officials to haul large quantities for permanent storage at a facility in Grand Junction. The lack of a temporary storage site is also the reason why property owners have not yet been notified if their homes or properties contain radioactive waste, state officials have said. The state health department is now proposing to use a property near Bondad at 1106 U.S. Highway 550, about 20 miles south of Durango, for temporary storage. The site is owned by the Colorado Department of Transportation. To view the full article visit the Durango Herald.
