[Peace-discuss] rad standards

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

Sent: Friday, January 31, 2003 10:55 AM
Subject: important new advice on radiation protection standards


The Independent (London UK) carried the following report on the launch of the 
2003 Recommendations of the European Committee on Radiation Risk in Brussels 
30th January.

ECRR is an important development for those who want a scientifically sound 
basis for radiation protection. It is relevant to all aspects of the nuclear 
project, from incinerating hospital waste to reprocessing reactor fuel, to 
say nothing of new build and the use of Uranium in armour-piercing weapons.

The independent story is on 
http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=374164

ECRR has a web site at www.euradcom.org
Richard Bramhall
Low Level Radiation Campaign
bramhall at llrc.org
The Knoll
Montpellier Park
Llandrindod
Powys LD1 5LW  U.K.
+44 (0)1597 824771
Nuclear weapons and pollution linked to 65 million deaths
By Paul Waugh Deputy Political Editor
31 January 2003 

Pollution from nuclear energy and weapons programmes up to 1989 will account 
for 65 million deaths, according to a European scientific committee headed by 
an adviser to the British Government.

Research published yesterday by the European Committee of Radiation Risk 
claims that previous figures massively underestimate the nuclear industry's 
impact on human life.

The ECRR is an international body of 30 independent scientists, led by Dr 
Chris Busby, a member of the Government's radiation risk committee and 
adviser to the Ministry of Defence on the use of depleted uranium.

The findings prompted immediate calls for the Government to rethink its 
support for the nuclear industry or share responsibility for millions of 
deaths worldwide.

The report came as the European Commission yesterday published two new draft 
directives setting up the first EU-wide standards on nuclear power plant 
safety, decommissioning and the management of radioactive waste.

The study by ECRR, whichwas formed in Brussels in 1998, is based on a risk 
assessment model developed over the last five years, and uses evidence from 
recent discoveries in radiation biology and from human epidemiology. It found 
that radioactive releases up to 1989 have caused, or will eventually cause, 
the death of 65 million people worldwide.

It concludes that the cancer epidemic is a result of pollution from nuclear 
energy and of exposures to global atmospheric weapons fallout, which peaked 
in the period 1959-63. The research cites evidence such as the levels of 
breast cancer in women who were adolescent between 1957 and 1963, when 
nuclear weapons testing was at its peak.

Dr Lucas said: "The fact that existing analysis could not account for the 
abnormally high local levels of illnesses like childhood leukaemia was more a 
reflection on the research methodology than the acclaimed safety of the 
nuclear project."

Caroline Lucas, Green MEP for South-east England, said the figures gave the 
nuclear debate a renewed urgency. "The Government must call an immediate 
review of its support for the nuclear industry or bear moral, and potentially 
legal, responsibility for this tragic and avoidable loss of human life."

The ECRR findings challenge the conventional methods of calculating risk of 
the International Commission on Radiological Protection, which has been 
criticised as being too close to the nuclear industry.

Scientists have fiercely debated claims that radiation causes cancer clusters 
near plants such as BNFL's site at Sellafield but Ireland and Scandinavian 
countries have long complained about the risk.

In Brussels, the European Commission adopted two proposals for directives 
aimed at improving nuclear standards ahead of enlargement, when countries 
with ailing power plants, such as the Czech Republic, enter the EU.

Britain has previously objected to the proposals and some Government 
officials are concerned that EU-wide powers may interfere with Britain's 
nuclear industry.

One of the directives states that nuclear safety "cannot be guaranteed 
without making available adequate financial resources" and sets up rules on 
the management and use of decommissioning funds.