Manhattan Project Waste Claims

The July 2025 Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) expansion created an entirely new category for individuals exposed to radioactive waste. If you lived, worked, or attended school in specific areas of Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, or Alaska, you may be eligible for compensation — but the rules differ significantly from older nuclear testing claims.

1. The Crucial Difference: Waste vs. Weapons Testing

A common misconception is that eligibility ended in 1962 or 1963. While true for older RECA categories, that cutoff does not apply here.

Why the Rules Are Different: Older claims were built around atmospheric nuclear explosions, which stopped when the U.S. moved testing underground. The Manhattan Project Waste category was created to address long-term, secondary exposure to contaminated water, soil, and underground remediation sites. Because the contamination lingered for decades, there is no end date for eligibility.

Claim Category	Geographic Areas Covered	The Eligibility Window	Minimum Time Present
Manhattan Project Waste	Specific ZIP codes in MO, TN, KY, AK	Jan. 1, 1949 to Present (No End Date)	2 years (24 months)
Uranium Industry Workers	Mines/mills in 11 Western states	Jan. 1, 1971 to Dec. 31, 1990 (Expanded 2025)	1 year (12 months)
Downwinders & Onsite Participants	NV, UT, NM, AZ, ID (and test sites)	Varies by site (Generally 1944 to 1962)	1 year (or specific periods)

Claim Category

Geographic Areas Covered

The Eligibility Window

Minimum Time Present

Manhattan Project Waste

Specific ZIP codes in MO, TN, KY, AK

Jan. 1, 1949 to Present (No End Date)

2 years (24 months)

Uranium Industry Workers

Mines/mills in 11 Western states

Jan. 1, 1971 to Dec. 31, 1990 (Expanded 2025)

1 year (12 months)

Downwinders & Onsite Participants

NV, UT, NM, AZ, ID (and test sites)

Varies by site (Generally 1944 to 1962)

1 year (or specific periods)

2. The Three Requirements for Waste Claims

To qualify under the new expansion, you must meet three core criteria:

Location: You must have been physically present in one of the designated ZIP codes across the four covered states.
Duration: You must prove you lived, worked, or attended school there for at least 24 months (cumulatively or consecutively) anytime after January 1, 1949.
Medical: You must have been diagnosed with a specified radiation-linked disease (such as certain primary cancers, leukemia, or multiple myeloma) after your period of exposure.

3. Compensation Breakdown

The financial relief for Manhattan Project Waste claims relies on a two-tiered system designed to provide a baseline payout while acting as a safety net for crippling medical debt.

Why the structure is different: Original RECA categories (like Downwinders) compensate for direct, acute exposure to active detonations. The Manhattan Waste category compensates for secondary, environmental exposure. To manage the financial impact of covering massive population centers without an end date, Congress capped the baseline lump sum at $50,000, but added a medical reimbursement clause to protect those who suffered extreme out-of-pocket medical costs.

Manhattan Project Waste (MO, TN, KY, AK)

Living Claimants: The greater of a $50,000 lump sum OR total reimbursement for documented out-of-pocket medical expenses related to the illness.
Surviving Beneficiaries: A $25,000 lump sum paid to the surviving spouse. If there is no spouse, it is divided equally among surviving children.

Downwinders, Onsite Participants, & Uranium Workers

Living or Deceased: A flat $100,000 lump sum payment. If the individual has passed away, survivors may apply for equal shares of the total amount.

4. Choose Your Location

The specific ZIP codes and local history vary drastically from state to state. Select your area below for detailed maps, local resources, and specialized guides on how to find proof of residency in your community:

Missouri (St. Louis & St. Charles Counties): Learn about the 21 eligible ZIP codes covering Coldwater Creek, the West Lake Landfill, and the Weldon Spring site. View Missouri Details
Tennessee (Oak Ridge): Information for the 14 eligible ZIP codes surrounding the "Secret City" and the Y-12, K-25, and X-10 enrichment facilities. View Tennessee Details
Kentucky (Paducah): Eligibility details for the three ZIP codes encompassing the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant and surrounding McCracken County communities. View Kentucky Details
Alaska (Amchitka): Specialized guidance for contractors, military personnel, and indigenous populations present during and after the underground tests on the Aleutian Islands. View Alaska Details