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(210 K)
Title:
RADIATION HAZARDS TO URANIUM MINERS
Subject Terms:
DUST INHALATION
Document Location:
Location - DOE/NNSA NUCLEAR TESTING ARCHIVE Address - P.O. Box 98521 City - Las Vegas State - NV Zip - 89193-8521 Phone - (702)794-5106 Fax - (702)862-4240 Email - NTA@NV.DOE.GOV
Document Type:
CORRESPONDENCE, LETTERS, MEMOS
Publication Date:
1967 Jul 25
Declassification Status:
Unknown
Accession Number:
NV0756956
Originating Research Org.:
RADIATION EXPERIMENTS COMMAND CENTER
OpenNet Entry Date:
1999 Jul 13
OpenNet Modified Date:
2010 Oct 13
Description/Abstract:
FOUR MEMORANDUMS; 1. MEMORANDUM ONE EXPLAINS THE UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDED THE 1 WL LEVEL TO THE PRESIDENT. 2. MEMORANDUM TWO EXPLAINS THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE CORRELATION BETWEEN INCREASED LUNG CANCER AMONG MINERS AND EXPOSURE TO RADIOACTIVITY. HOWEVER, THERE IS VERY MEAGRE DATA AVAILABLE FROM WHICH TO DETERMINE THE QUANTITATIVE RELATIONSHIP. ADDITIONAL UNCERTAINTIES INCLUDE: A. LARGE VARIATIONS IN RADIOACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE MINES. IT IS PRESENTLY UNCLEAR TO ME WHETHER THERE ARE CORRESPONDING VARIATIONS IN THE LOCATIONS IN THE MINES AT WHICH THE RADIOACTIVITIES REPORTED WERE MEASURED. B. PATTERNS OF WORK WHICH CAUSE CERTAIN MINERS TO WORK MAINLY AT THE WORKING FACE WHER ORE IS BROKEN OUUT AND RADIOACTIVITY IS HIGHEST, WHILE MOST MINERS WORK IN AREAS OF MUCH LOWER RADIOACTIVITY. C. THE ALLOWANCES THAT SHOULD BE MADE FOR INCREASES IN MINERS' DEATHS DUE TO ORDINARY DUST INHALATION AND TO INCREASED CIGARETTE SMOKING BY MINERS. THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF MINING COMPANIES TO REDUCE WL LEVELS FROM 3.0 TO 2.0 ($7 MILL) OR IDEALLY, 1.0 ($7.5 MILL). MEMORANDUM THREE EXPLAINS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A THOROUGH RE-EVALUATION BY THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE DATA COULD SUPPORT A THRESHOLD FOR RADIATION INDUCED CANCER AT ABOUT THE 1 WL LEVEL, BUT NOT AT THE .3 WL LEVEL. A SAFETY LEVEL OF .3 IS ATTRACTIVE, EXCEPT THAT IT APPEARS TO WORK A SUBSTANTIAL HARDSHIP ON THE MINE OWNERS TRYING TO COMPLY. DOD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING A POSITION, BUT CARL WALSKE SHOWED AN INTEREST FOR THE 1 WL