The Government of New Mexico said in a report that dozens of drums of nuclear waste might pose a "substantial" and "imminent" danger to residents. Ryan Flynn, the environment secretary of New Mexico, gave Los Alamos National Laboratory until Wednesday to submit propositions for what steps to take for them to lock down the 57 barrels posing the threat.

The Los Alamos National Laboratory packed the barrels using materials that might have caused damage to the barrels, leading to the dangerous leak. The laboratory has committed itself to mitigating the effects and any possible dangers or threats that may arise to both residents and the environment.

The problematic drums were packed with kitty litter and nitrate-salt bearing waste, and the combination of the two is believed to have generated heat that ruptured the barrels. These were stored underground below Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad. The breakage is also linked to a radiation leak in February, which spread dangerous contaminants to 22 workers, forcing the personnel to vacate the storage facility. These 57 barrels are not the only concern, however, as environmental officials have discovered that more than 500 barrels were packed in the same way by the laboratory. Aside from the 368 containers at the dump, 100 are stored in West Texas, while 57 are in Los Alamos.

Kitty litter was used as a moisture-absorbing agent for the packaging. However, the officials suspect and are investigating whether the inorganic version was to blame for the February leak contamination. Meanwhile, the storage and transportation of these dangerous barrels continue to remain a threat and immediate action is imperative. The state and its officials are working closely with both the laboratory and the waste isolation plant to take proper steps ensuring the safety of residents and the environment, especially during the wildfire season.