Nexus - 0105 - New Times Magazine-pages

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Deadly Summer One One Deadly Summer Nuclear Fertilizer In the summer of 1986, 35,000-40,000 But ingested or inhaled fission prod- Recycled tadioactive wastes mixed into more Americans dropped dead than | ucts behave differently; they select vari- | fertiliserare being sprayed directly onto usual. ous organs according to their chemical | US crops by the Kerr-Magee Corpora- tion (involved in the Karen Silkwood case). After years of tests, they are spraying the substance - called ‘treated raffinate’ - onto thousands of hectares of pasture in eastern Oklahoma. The fertiliser is proc- essed from wastes at Kerr-Magee’s Se- quoyah Fuels Facility in Gore, Oakla- homa - one of two US plants that purify milled uranium for nuclear fuel rods. A US statistical analysis of mortality | characteristics, then sit there emitting ra- figures for that season shows a sudden | diation. 1.1% increase over 1983-85 averages. Dr Such low-level radiation promotes Jay Gould of the Institute for Policy Stud- | the slow release of molecules known as ies in Washington calculated the odds | free radicals. The most common - oxygen against this happening by chance at more | free radicals - are attracted to the mem- than 1 million to one. Why? branes of cells, which they then damage. The Chernoby] nuclear reactor explo- | Among cell functions impaired or de- sionon April 26 1986sentuparadioactive | stroyed is the production of types of plume that reached America 11 days | white cells which provide the body’s later. In America’s northwest, compari- | immune defences. This erosion of the son of levels of radioactivity per litre in | immune system would be expected to hit rainwater samples before and after the | two groups of people first: the old or disaster show an average increase of | weak, and those suffering from life- nearly 300%. In milk samples, radioactive | threatening diseases. iodine 131 peaked at almost 20 times the Compared with the summer average 1985 average. for 1983-85, an estimated 7.4% more Levels of radioactivity varied sharply | people over65diedin summer 1986. The across America, and statistics show a | number of people dying from pneumo- direct correlation between increased ra- | niainallage groups was 18.1% higherin dioactivity levels and an increase in | May-August 1986 than in the same “Harmless” Poisons According to Corporation chemical analyses, treated raffinate contains nitro- gen, trace amounts of radioactive ura- nium, radium and thorium, toxicsolvents and at least 8 poisonous heavy metals - arsenic, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt and cadmium. In high concentrations, most of these deaths throughout the country. months of 1985. Deaths from infectious | are known to cause mutation, paralysis A Radical Theory diseases rose by 22.5%, and deaths | and death. Yet Kerr-Magee scientists say caused by AIDS increased by 60.3%. studies of water, soil, vegetation and Current research into indirect effects of Both doctors believe that fallout from | cattle in areas sprayed over the last dec- low-level radiation is challenging long- | atmospheric tests in the 1950s may have held notions that low levels of fallout are | weakened the immune systems of many harmless, according to Dr Ernest | people born in that period. As they have Sternglass, Emeritus Professor of Radio- | aged, the mortality rate of this group has logical Physics at the University of Pitts- | increased much faster than that of those burgh. born between 1935-45. F Instantaneous bursts of high-level ra- Early analysis suggests the change in diation - such as medical X-rays - are | Americandeath patterns in summer 1986 relatively harmless to normal adults, | was not coincidence. If Chernobyl was mainly because such “external” radiation | the cause, a complete review of “safe” doesn’t concentrate in crucial organs. radiation levels is needed. To Fry or Not To Fry In November 1987 the British Radiologi- sure near to the dose limit represents a cal Protection Board (NRPB) called fora _ level of risk which verges on the unac- huge decrease in the level of radiation ceptable”. exposure considered “safe”. Australian authorities are staying The NRPB ignored the findings ofthe _ with the old radiation dose limits, ensur- International Commission on Radiologi- _ ing that workers in industry (including cal Protection(ICRP) who metinSeptem- _ doctors, dentists, radiographers etc) and ber 1987 to discuss new long-term studies _ the publiccan be legally exposed to radia- on Japanese atomic bomb victims, some __ tion levels many times greater than those of whom received radiation doses that considered safe overseas. were previously considered to be “safe”. The figures show a doubling of the Proposed max.radiction dosage fatality rate from cancers. Mr Robert a2 Clarke (director of NRPB) said, “We can- nuclear workers - 45 to 50 (old ‘safe’ level) not go on waiting. We should put people ade show it’s harmless, and that the min- eral levels are equal to those in some commer- cial phosphate fertilisers. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the fertiliser program on atrial in the mid 1970’s and the Oaklahoma De- partment of Agriculture licensed ‘treated raffinate’ fertiliser in 1986. Cheap Nuclear Disposal Many residents have called on State and Federal governments to halt the spray- ing, citing inexplicable deaths of farm animals, several gross malformations of new-born livestock and the discovery ofa nine-legged frog in a pond draining a pasture sprayed with the substance. Executives dismiss reports of de- formities in animals, saying that they neutralise the wastes and that mutations and disease often occur naturally. A spokesperson for Native Americans for a Clean Environment says Kerr-Magee has found the ultimate in cheap nuclear waste disposal. The plant also routinely discharges small levels of radiation and heavy metals into the air, soil and water. -15 (new level) , E general public - more than 1 (old level) on notice. lt would be wrong to wait for 2 - less than 0.5 (new level) or 3 years... People must adapt. to new working practices now, Continued expo- NEXUS New Times Five - Winter 1988 Recycled radioactive wastes mixed into fertiliserare being sprayed directly onto US crops by the Kerr-Magee Corpora- tion (involved in the Karen Silkwood case). After years of tests, they are spraying the substance - called ‘treated raffinate’ - onto thousands of hectares of pasture in eastern Oklahoma. The fertiliser is proc- essed from wastes at Kerr-Magee’s Se- quoyah Fuels Facility in Gore, Oakla- homa - one of two US plants that purify milled uranium for nuclear fuel rods. Tn the summer of 1986, 35,000-40,000 But ingested or inhaled fission prod- more Americans dropped dead than | ucts behave differently; they select vari- usual. ous organs according to their chemical A US statistical analysis of mortality | characteristics, then sit there emitting ra- figures for that season shows a sudden | diation. 1.1% increase over 1983-85 averages. Dr Such low-level radiation promotes Jay Gould of the Institute for Policy Stud- | the slow release of molecules known as ies in Washington calculated the odds | free radicals. The most common - oxygen against this happening by chance at more | free radicals - are attracted to the mem- than 1 million to one. Why? branes of cells, which they then damage. The Chernoby] nuclear reactor explo- | Among cell functions impaired or de- sionon April 26 1986sentuparadioactive | stroyed is the production of types of plume that reached America 11 days | white cells which provide the body’s later. In America’s northwest, compari- | immune defences. This erosion of the son of levels of radioactivity per litre in | immune system would be expected to hit rainwater samples before and after the | two groups of people first: the old or disaster show an average increase of | weak, and those suffering from life- nearly 300%. In milk samples, radioactive | threatening diseases. iodine 131 peaked at almost 20 times the Compared with the summer average 1985 average. for 1983-85, an estimated 7.4% more Levels of radioactivity varied sharply | people over65diedin summer 1986. The across America, and statistics show a | number of people dying from pneumo- direct correlation between increased ra- | niainallage groups was 18.1% higherin dioactivity levels and an increase in | May-August 1986 than in the same deaths throughout the country. months of 1985, Deaths from infectious “Harmless” Poisons According to Corporation chemical analyses, treated raffinate contains nitro- gen, trace amounts of radioactive ura- nium, radium and thorium, toxicsolvents and at least 8 poisonous heavy metals - arsenic, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, cobalt and cadmium. In high concentrations, most of these are known to cause mutation, paralysis A Radical Theo diseases rose by 22.5%, and deaths | and death. Yet Kerr-Magee scientists say ” caused by AIDS increased by 60.3%. studies of water, soil, vegetation and Current research into indirect effects of Both doctors believe that fallout from | cattle in areas sprayed over the last dec- low-level radiation is challenging long- | atmospheric tests in the 1950s may have held notions that low levels of fallout are | weakened the immune systems of many harmless, according to Dr Ernest | people born in that period. As they have Sternglass, Emeritus Professor of Radio- | aged, the mortality rate of this group has logical Physics at the University of Pitts- | increased much faster than that of those burgh. born between 1935-45. F Instantaneous bursts of high-level ra- Early analysis suggests the change in diation - such as medical X-rays - are | Americandeath patterns in summer 1986 relatively harmless to normal adults, | was not coincidence. If Chernobyl was mainly because such “external” radiation | the cause, a complete review of “safe” doesn’t concentrate in crucial organs. radiation levels is needed. To Fry or Not To Fry In November 1987 the British Radiologi- sure near to the dose limit represents a cal Protection Board (NRPB) called fora _ level of risk which verges on the unac- huge decrease in the level of radiation ceptable”. exposure considered “safe”. Australian authorities are staying The NRPB ignored the findings ofthe _ with the old radiation dose limits, ensur- International Commission on Radiologi- _ ing that workers in industry (including cal Protection(ICRP) who metinSeptem- doctors, dentists, radiographers etc) and ber 1987 to discuss new long-term studies the publiccan be legally exposed to radia- on Japanese atomic bomb victims, some __ tion levels many times greater than those of whom received radiation doses that considered safe overseas. were previously considered to be “safe”. The figures show a doubling of the Proposed max.radiction dosage fatality rate from cancers. Mr Robert a2 Clarke (director of NRPB) said, “We can- nuclear workers - 45 to 50 (old ‘safe’ level) not go on waiting. We should put people ade show it’s harmless, and that the min- eral levels are equal to those in some commer- cial phosphate fertilisers. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the fertiliser program on atrial in the mid 1970’s and the Oaklahoma De- partment of Agriculture licensed ‘treated raffinate’ fertiliser in 1986. Cheap Nuclear Disposal Many residents have called on State and Federal governments to halt the spray- ing, citing inexplicable deaths of farm animals, several gross malformations of new-born livestock and the discovery ofa nine-legged frog in a pond draining a pasture sprayed with the substance. Executives dismiss reports of de- formities in animals, saying that they neutralise the wastes and that mutations and disease often occur naturally. A spokesperson for Native Americans for a Clean Environment says Kerr-Magee has found the ultimate in cheap nuclear waste disposal. The plant also routinely discharges small levels of radiation and heavy metals into the air, soil and water. -15 (new level) , 4 general public - more than 1 (old level) on notice. lt would be wrong to wait for 2 - less than 0.5 (new level) or 3 years... People must adapt. to new working practices now, Continued expo- NEXUS New Times Five - Winter 1988 SS NuclearAge [Re ee : @ Nuclear Fertilizer “Harmless” Poisons