The Anatomy of a Plume
The end of November 2025 saw a trio of "plume" events making headlines, each a stark reminder that environmental challenges continue to bubble beneath the surface, both literally and figuratively. We had a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia, a toxic chromium leak in New Mexico, and landfill vapor releases in Alaska. On the surface, these events seem unrelated. Volcanic activity is "natural," right? Landfills are just part of modern life, aren't they? But digging a little deeper, a disturbing pattern emerges.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano in Ethiopia, dormant for millennia, spewed a plume of ash and sulfur dioxide high into the atmosphere on November 23rd. Satellite data (thank you, Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor) tracked the plume's eastward drift, impacting air quality as far as the Arabian Peninsula. Initial reports suggest the area is uninhabited, minimizing immediate human impact. But the long-term effects on regional climate and air travel remain to be seen. What's the total volume of sulfur dioxide released, and how does it compare to other recent eruptions? That's the crucial figure we need, and it's conspicuously absent from the initial reports.
Meanwhile, back in the States, a decades-old chromium plume from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) finally breached the boundary onto San Ildefonso Pueblo land. This isn't news, exactly; a report earlier in the year suggested it was likely. But the confirmation is damning. Groundwater sampling revealed hexavalent chromium levels exceeding the safety standard of 50 micrograms per liter (levels ranged from 53 to 72.9). The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is, understandably, not thrilled, stating that the Department of Energy’s (DOE) containment efforts have been "inadequate." The DOE, predictably, says it "remains committed" to remediation. We’ve heard that song before.
What I find genuinely puzzling is the timeline. The contamination occurred between 1957 and 1972. The plume was discovered in the early 2000s. And now, in 2025, it's still spreading. How much has been spent on remediation efforts to date, and what measurable impact has that spending had on the plume's migration?
The Vapor of Progress?
Shifting gears to Alaska, the Mat-Su Central Landfill near Palmer is sporting a new vapor plume, courtesy of a state-of-the-art evaporator system. This system scrubs and pumps decomposing trash water (leachate) into the air, a departure from the previous practice of trucking it to Anchorage for treatment and release into Cook Inlet. The landfill manager, Jeff Smith, assures everyone that the vapor carries no measurable air pollution and that any trashy smells are likely due to other landfill processes. That plume towering over Mat-Su’s landfill? It’s filtered water from decomposing trash
Here's where my skepticism kicks in. While the evaporator may reduce the direct pollution of Cook Inlet (a good thing), it essentially shifts the problem to the air. They're capturing a wide variety of pollutants, including PFAS chemicals, only to dump the sludgy leftovers back into the landfill, where they'll eventually re-enter the leachate cycle. It's a closed loop of contamination. And the claim of "no measurable air pollution" needs scrutiny. What exactly are they measuring, and what are the detection limits of their instruments? Are they measuring the right things?
The borough expects to save $270,000 a year with this new system. But what’s the long-term cost of recirculating these toxins? Are they accounting for potential health impacts on nearby residents, or the environmental cost of perpetually contaminating the landfill itself?
The Anchorage Solid Waste Services plans to install a larger version of the system next year. Anchorage currently treats 40 million gallons of leachate each year before releasing it into the inlet. So, are they simply going to start venting that into the air instead?
A Case of Misplaced Priorities
These three "plumes" – volcanic ash, toxic waste, and landfill gases – highlight a recurring theme: our tendency to address environmental problems with short-term solutions that often create new, unforeseen problems down the line. The Ethiopian volcano reminds us of the raw power of nature and our limited ability to control it. The LANL chromium leak is a stark example of the long-term consequences of industrial negligence. And the Alaskan landfill vapor plume is a case study in "greenwashing," where a seemingly eco-friendly solution masks a deeper, more complex problem.
The common thread? A lack of comprehensive, long-term thinking. We need to move beyond simply reacting to crises and start proactively addressing the underlying causes of environmental degradation. That means investing in sustainable technologies, enforcing stricter environmental regulations, and holding polluters accountable.
Smoke and Mirrors
The reality is that all three situations point to a deeper systemic issue: a willingness to prioritize short-term economic gains over long-term environmental and public health. Whether it's the cost savings from the Alaskan landfill, or the decades of neglect at LANL, the pattern is the same. Until we address this fundamental imbalance, we'll continue to chase our tails, dealing with one "plume" after another.