Public health officials in San Francisco said no “immediate action” is needed to protect public safety after airborne plutonium was detected in the city.
By | November 3, 2025 sfgate.com
In 2024, the radioactive substance Pu-239 was detected in the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, which was used as a repair shipyard for the U.S. Navy for nearly 30 years. The plutonium was detected in an air filter in November 2024, but the San Francisco Health Department said in a letter to Navy officials that it was not alerted until last month.
In an emailed statement, Dr. Susan Philip, the public health officer for San Francisco, told SFGATE she met with Navy officials last week to discuss the public health concerns.
“During this meeting, Navy officials confirmed that dust-control measures, and air and dust monitoring are ongoing,” Philip told SFGATE. “The Navy has also stated that they are reviewing their dust control methods to ensure they are fully protective of public health. Based on the information currently provided by the Navy, no immediate action is required from a public health safety standpoint.”
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Pu-239 has a half-life of over 24,000 years and can stay in the body for decades even if ingested or inhaled in small amounts, potentially increasing the risk of developing cancer.