Workshop Reports
Dose Limits And Epidemiology
Workshop Report by Prof. Wolfgang Köhnlein, Dr. Alice Stewart and
Dr. Rosalie Bertell
Prof W. Köhnlein, Fed Rep. of Germany.
Scientist. -- Dr. R. Bertell, Ontario, Canada. Statistician at the
Int. Inst. of Concern for Public Health, Toronto; Winner
of the Alternative Nobel Prize (low-level radiation), nun.
Pr. W. K.: Good afternoon, Ladies and
Gentlemen! We gathered a survey, the latest scientific
literature on epidemiology and dose limits,
and we found out that things have changed in the
scientific knowledge and we have collected very
short reports now which will be given by Rosalie
Bertell and Alice Stewart.
Dr. A. S.: Regarding the health effects of
low-level radiation, we have come to the following
conclusions:
1. The situation is considerably more hazardous than was believed even three years ago.
2. Exposing more people to smaller doses,
so-called dilution, will merely aggravate the problem,
and it will aggravate the problem by adding
to population loads of cancer and genetic damage.
3. Clean-up is impossible, since it merely
means removing the position of indestructible
matter.
4. Most important of all, that indigenous
populations have not only benefited least from the
industry, but have born far and away the heaviest
load of damage.
We, therefore, recommend the following:
1. Immediate shut-down of all uranium mines.
2. Rapid phasing out of all other branches of the nuclear industry.
3. Meanwhile, occupational exposure to
radiation should be a recognized occupational
hazard with suitable compensation.
4. Unavoidable exposure to contaminated
land should be similarly regarded with similar
compensation. And this is important:
5. There should be no exceptions to anything
that we have said so far in the name of
national security or military necessity.
That closes what I have to say. Rosalie
Bertell will enlarge on a few of these topics and
we will give you the necessary references to the
work that has been implied in the statements we
have made. Thank you.
Dr. R. B.: These recommendations refer
directly to the people at risk from the industries,
so during the phase-out of nuclear power, which
we have recommended, we ask that all unavoidable
releases of radioactive materials be reduced
to keep public exposures below one ten-thousandth
of the current five-milliSievert-level
per year. This would hold nuclear power to the
same criterion as used for chemical industries,
namely their pollution should cause no more than
one cancer per 100,000 people over a lifetime. This
is an interim limit prior to total phase out.
Secondly, the health problems perceived
and reported here by the indigenous people,
downwinders and others exposed to uranium and
nuclear industries are strongly supported by medical
scientific evidence. The rate at which cancers,
genetic damage, teratogenic malformation, infant
deaths and other ill health are caused by radiation
is much higher than was thought when nuclear industries
were launched. We recommend immediate medical and
social assistance for radiation victims.
We also recommend that this finding be
reported to the Permanent People's Tribunal and
the United Nations Human Rights Commission as
a serious violation of the human right to health
and life.
reprinted with permission from