Government officials have uncovered a stash of radioactive materials believed to have been concealed in a San Francisco shipyard by a former worker of a subcontractor for the U.S. Navy.
According to the Navy and associated contractors, the individuals involved were employed by RSI Entech, who had been tasked with remediation work in the area.
In April, nearly 200 pieces of radioactive materials, including uranium and thorium samples, were found in locked cabinets within a large facility known as Building 400A at Hunters Point.
The collection also contained liquid scintillators, which are specific lab tools for radiological analysis. Many items were radioactive isotopes referred to as “check sources,” essential for calibrating devices like Geiger counters.
Jeff Vail, who oversees operations at RSI Entech, stated that the materials were retained by an employee acting independently.
“This is a situation involving a fraudulent employee, and we’re in the process of resolving it,” Vail mentioned during a board meeting, as reported.
He suspects the employee may have introduced these items into the building between 2019 and 2022 while working for Envirahem, a company that RSI Entech acquired in 2023. “We weren’t made aware of this section of Building 400A during the acquisition,” he noted.
Navy Environmental Coordinator Michael Pound confirmed that no permission had been granted for personnel to bring materials into the facility.
The Navy has emphasized that, so far, “no health or environmental concerns have been identified,” and the area is now marked as a radiation-controlled zone while a radiological investigation is underway.
The materials have been assessed for safe handling and disposal, and the Navy is focused on completing this process.
Details about the involved employee remain unclear. Both the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Environmental Protection Agency are currently looking into any potential violations of law by this individual.
Residents nearby have voiced their dissatisfaction with the Navy’s perceived lack of transparency about the situation.
“The Navy has never really respected civilians,” stated Malik Senefel. “Getting information from them feels like trying to draw water from a stone.”
Inquiries have been made to the EPA, NCIS, and RSI Entech for additional comments.
