JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — What looks like mini mountains in Florida, are actually huge mounds of radioactive material.

They are made of phosphogypsum, a byproduct of phosphate fertilizer manufacturing.

Two years ago, the Environmental Protection Agency’s website stated: “All uses of phosphogypsum waste have been banned unless the waste has very little radioactivity.”

But now, the EPA’s website shows that it has approved the substance to make roads, stating, “the proposed use of phosphogypsum is as protective of human health as placement in a stack.” 

The Center for Biological Diversity disagrees the substance is safe.

“The material is radioactive,” Staff Attorney for Center for Biological Diversity Ragan Whitlock said. “And to say that it no longer poses concerns… That is what we are primarily concerned with.” 

Friday, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit against the EPA. 

In December 2024, the EPA has approved a road construction project on a central Florida fertilizer manufacturer’s property, using the radioactive material. 

Opponents say this first project is just the beginning.

Whitlock said, “This is not an innocuous science experiment. This is described as the next step to full scale implementation of radioactive waste used in road construction.”

The EPA has until September to respond legally.