I am writing out of concern over how Holtec International’s wastewater at the former Pilgrim nuclear power plant is being described in the public discussion — particularly the repeated use of the word “treated,” which gives a dangerously false sense of safety.
Holtec is already evaporating radioactive wastewater into the air over Plymouth — and plans to continue doing so. Yet many residents understandably assume the water has been “cleaned” and rendered safe. It hasn’t. And the word “treated” — though technically used by the company — obscures the reality.
Even after “treatment,” Holtec’s wastewater still contains radioactive contaminants, including tritium — a radioactive form of hydrogen that is impossible to filter out. As the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission notes: “No economically feasible technology exists to filter tritium from a nuclear power plant’s gaseous and liquid emissions to the environment.”
Independent analysis by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) in 2023 found multiple radioactive isotopes in samples from Pilgrim’s spent fuel pool, reactor cavity, and dryer separator pit — including cobalt-60, manganese-54, cesium-137, zinc-65, and tritium. MDPH stated that further testing would be needed to detect “difficult-to-measure” radionuclides such as strontium-90 and transuranics, meaning the full scope of contamination remains unknown.
Holtec’s own filings with the state confirm that:
- The wastewater “includes both chemical and radioactive materials”;
- The “treated” water still contains “radiological wastes and other effluents”; and
- It is “technically infeasible” to eliminate all pollutants from the effluent.
This isn’t speculation — it’s fact, in the public record.
Yet when news coverage refers to this wastewater simply as “treated,” it gives the impression that it’s safe to release into the air. The public deserves better — especially when our health, our environment, and our trust in institutions are at stake.
Words matter. Calling this water “treated” without qualification is a disservice to the public. It’s time for more precise, transparent reporting and a more honest conversation about what Holtec is releasing — and intends to keep releasing — over Plymouth.
– Christine Silva
Silva is a member of the Save Our Bay group.