A quote attributed to Admiral Hyman Rickover “Respect even small amounts of radiation”.
Washington (CNN) -- There is no health risk from consuming milk with extremely low levels of radiation, like those found in Washington state and California, experts said Thursday, echoing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "When we have a disaster like we've had with a nuclear power plant in Japan, we're probably going to find things that are truly not a public health risk, but I think it's very difficult for the public to assimilate this information and understand the risks," said Dr. Wally Curran, a radiation oncologist and head of Emory University's Winship Cancer Center. The federal agency said Wednesday it was increasing its nationwide monitoring of radiation in milk, precipitation, drinking water, and other outlets. It already tracks radiation in those potential exposure routes through an existing network of stations across the country. Results from screening samples of milk taken in the past week in Spokane, Washington, and in San Luis Obispo County, California, detected radioactive iodine, or iodine-131, at a level 5,000 times lower than the limit set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, officials said. At that level, a person would have to drink 1,000 liters of milk to receive the same amount of radiation as a chest X-ray, said Dr. James Cox, radiation oncologist at Houston's MD Anderson Cancer Center.
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This last statement may be true, but it also may not be relevant. There is a qualitative difference between external exposure to radiation and ingestion of radioactive substances, particularly isotopes of iodine, which will lodge in the thyroid gland.
HARRISBURG, Pa. — In response to concerns about damaged nuclear plants in Japan, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett announced Monday that while low concentrations of radioactive iodine-131 have been detected in rainwater in Pennsylvania, tests performed on public drinking water supplies throughout the state have revealed no elevated levels of radioactivity, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
**************************************** Rainwater falls on the ground, is taken up by plants, which is eaten by cattle, which provides milk and beef to humans.
We are still in the early stages of this event, we can only hope that the Japanese are able to stabilize the situation as soon as possible.
A quote attributed to Admiral Hyman Rickover “Respect even small amounts of radiation”.
ReplyDeleteWashington (CNN) -- There is no health risk from consuming milk with extremely low levels of radiation, like those found in Washington state and California, experts said Thursday, echoing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
"When we have a disaster like we've had with a nuclear power plant in Japan, we're probably going to find things that are truly not a public health risk, but I think it's very difficult for the public to assimilate this information and understand the risks," said Dr. Wally Curran, a radiation oncologist and head of Emory University's Winship Cancer Center.
The federal agency said Wednesday it was increasing its nationwide monitoring of radiation in milk, precipitation, drinking water, and other outlets. It already tracks radiation in those potential exposure routes through an existing network of stations across the country.
Results from screening samples of milk taken in the past week in Spokane, Washington, and in San Luis Obispo County, California, detected radioactive iodine, or iodine-131, at a level 5,000 times lower than the limit set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, officials said.
At that level, a person would have to drink 1,000 liters of milk to receive the same amount of radiation as a chest X-ray, said Dr. James Cox, radiation oncologist at Houston's MD Anderson Cancer Center.
**********************************************
This last statement may be true, but it also may not be relevant. There is a qualitative difference between external exposure to radiation and ingestion of radioactive substances, particularly isotopes of iodine, which will lodge in the thyroid gland.
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ReplyDeleteRemember what Admiral Rickover said...
ReplyDeleteHARRISBURG, Pa. — In response to concerns about damaged nuclear plants in Japan, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett announced Monday that while low concentrations of radioactive iodine-131 have been detected in rainwater in Pennsylvania, tests performed on public drinking water supplies throughout the state have revealed no elevated levels of radioactivity, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
****************************************
Rainwater falls on the ground, is taken up by plants, which is eaten by cattle, which provides milk and beef to humans.
We are still in the early stages of this event, we can only hope that the Japanese are able to stabilize the situation as soon as possible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3tbdAK9W4k
ReplyDelete3 Raging Nuclear Meltdowns In Progress - Dr Michio Kaku