Environmental contamination, a legacy of industrial activity borne by numerous sites around the world, poses health risks for surrounding communities and presents serious cleanup challenges. One such site, the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL), served as an aerospace and nuclear energy research facility for over 50 years, during which time radioactive and other hazardous materials were unintentionally and intentionally released into the surrounding environment. These releases, including the partial meltdown of a sodium reactor, were hidden from the public for three decades. The site is now located in suburban Los Angeles, with 730,000 people living within a 10-mile radius. This paper evaluates the technical and social challenges underlying site cleanup at SSFL, including a complex geological setting, uncertain contaminant information, and a convoluted, evolving regulatory framework. These challenges, paired with historical secrecy on the part of responsible organizations and unclear layers of responsibility, have led to uncertainty and distrust within the surrounding community. Lessons learned from other remediated sites are assessed and recommendations for the SSFL cleanup are provided.

中文翻译：

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清理和复杂性：加利福尼亚州圣苏珊娜野外实验室的核污染和工业污染

环境污染是由世界各地许多地点所遗留的工业活动遗留问题，对周围社区构成健康风险，并带来严重的清理挑战。圣苏珊娜野外实验室 (SSFL) 就是其中之一，作为航空航天和核能研究设施已有 50 多年的历史，在此期间，放射性和其他危险材料被无意和有意地释放到周围环境中。这些泄漏事件，包括钠反应堆的部分熔毁，三十年来一直不为公众所知。该站点现在位于洛杉矶郊区，半径 10 英里内有 730,000 人居住。本文评估了 SSFL 场地清理背后的技术和社会挑战，包括复杂的地质环境、不确定的污染物信息、以及一个复杂的、不断发展的监管框架。这些挑战，再加上负责组织的历史保密性和不明确的责任层级，导致了周围社区的不确定性和不信任。评估从其他修复站点吸取的经验教训，并提供 SSFL 清理建议。