{
  "id": 11297924,
  "title": "Utah removes 17 million tons of radioactive waste from beside Colorado River",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/utah-removes-17-million-tons-of-radioactive-waste-from-beside",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-10-01T22:20:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/nature/a-uranium-mill-left-radioactive-waste-beside-utahs-colorado-river-for-decades-after-trains-began-hauling-it-away-in-2009-crews-have-now-removed-17-million-tons-to-a-disposal-site-30-miles-away/articleshow/134591218.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "For decades, millions of tons of radioactive uranium mill tailings lay beside the Colorado River near Moab, Utah, presenting a significant environmental cleanup challenge. The waste originated from a uranium processing site established during the Cold War, and concerns arose regarding contamination near the river. In September 2026, the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project achieved a major milestone by removing 17 million tons of the tailings from the riverbanks.\n\nUranium mill tailings consist of sand-like waste generated when uranium-bearing ore is processed. Although not as visually distinct as the bright yellow uranium compounds often depicted in popular culture, they can contain radioactive materials and other contaminants that necessitate long-term management. The former Moab uranium mill operated close to the Colorado River, an essential waterway serving communities, agriculture, and wildlife habitats in some of the American Southwest’s most sensitive landscapes.\n\nOnce the mill ceased operations, the tailings remained at the site, stored in a large pile near the river. This location posed risks as wind, erosion, flooding, and groundwater movement could potentially disperse contaminants away from the original site. The material was not treated like regular construction debris; it required a meticulously planned removal process to protect workers, nearby communities, transportation routes, and the river corridor.\n\nIn 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy initiated the removal process by transporting the tailings by rail rather than by truck through surrounding communities and roads. Specially managed rail shipments carried the waste from the Moab Site to a disposal cell approximately 30 miles away in Crescent Junction. The engineered cell was constructed specifically to contain the material and minimize the risk of water, wind, or erosion spreading contamination. Moving 17 million tons of waste represented a massive logistical undertaking, involving excavation, loading the material into rail containers, transportation to the disposal location, and placement inside the engineered cell. Each stage required strict monitoring and safety controls, taking into account changing weather conditions, equipment maintenance, rail scheduling, and the need to prevent dust or contaminated material from escaping during handling.",
  "summary": "The Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project has efficiently relocated 17 million tons of waste from the riverbank. Following rail transportation, teams are actively monitoring groundwater contamination levels. Upcoming efforts will also involve excavating contaminated soil near the original tailings site. The objective is to guarantee long-term safety and stability for local residents…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}