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Back to To the Point

To the Point

Hunting Down Nuclear Waste Leads to a 'Plutonium Mountain'

Sixty years ago, the former Soviet Union started conducting nuclear tests in a remote area of Eastern Kazakhstan. Much of the plutonium residue never disappeared. When the Soviets pulled out it was left behind and went unprotected for years. Only in recent years has there been an effort to secure it.

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By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

Sixty years ago, the former Soviet Union started conducting nuclear tests in a remote area of Eastern Kazakhstan. Much of the plutonium residue never disappeared. When the Soviets pulled out it was left behind and went unprotected for years. Only in recent years has there been an effort to secure it. Last October, scientists marked the completion of a 17-year operation. They had reduced one of the largest nuclear security threats since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Eben Harrell, Associate at the Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard's Kennedy School, has reported on what's now called "Plutonium Mountain."

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • KCRW placeholder

    Katie Cooper

    Producer, 'One year Later'

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    Evan George

    Director of Content, News

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Gideon Brower

    Independent Producer

  • KCRW placeholder

    Eben Harrell

    Harvard University

    NewsNationalPolitics
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