Local fallout: hazard from Nevada tests

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · Nucl. Inf.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6338835

The analysis of the hazard from fallout in the region of the Nevada Test Site prepared by the St. Louis Committee for Nuclear Information is discussed. Analysis of the available evidence shows that children residing in the states bordering the Nevada Test Site have, as a result of fallout from nuclear tests at that site, probably been exposed to medically significant radiation. These exposures were avoidable, for on the basis of radiation monitoring carried out by the AEC during the test programs, the probability of exposure should have been evident in time to warn the population to take simple precautionary steps. Monitoring procedures in the Nevada Test Site regions have been inadequate in that they do not take into account the importance of internal exposure to radioactivity entering the body in fallout-contaminated food. Assurances that the hazard is successfully confined to the controlled areas of the Test Site are not justified in the absence of direct measurements of radioactivity levels in local milk. Even the inadequate indirect measurements that have been carried out, if properly interpreted, should have alerted the responsible agencies to the serious potential health hazards. Available data show that following at least seven underground tests, local fallout contamination comparable to that produced by atmospheric tests occurred. In view of the foregoing conclusions, a thorough review of present fallout monitoring procedures is recommended, with a view to rectifying the present inadequacies with respect to data, interpretation, and public information regarding precautionary measures. Due to the probable high radiation exposures to the population in the Nevada Test Site region a careful medical follow-up study of exposed individuals, in order to facilitate detection and treatment of possible diseases, is suggested.

• OSTI ID: 6338835
• Journal Information: Nucl. Inf.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Inf.; (United States) Vol. 5:9; ISSN NUINB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450200 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives
500600* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Regulations-- (-1989)
510302 -- Environment
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560151 -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
560161 -- Radionuclide Effects
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY FLUIDS
CONTAMINATION
DIAGNOSIS
DOSES
EXPLOSIONS
FALLOUT
FOOD
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HEARINGS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
LOCAL FALLOUT
MATERIALS
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
MILK
MONITORING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEVADA TEST SITE
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HAZARDS
RADIATION MONITORING
RADIOACTIVITY
RECOMMENDATIONS
SURVEILLANCE
THERAPY
US AEC
US ORGANIZATIONS