Prague—Sixty-five million people will die from pollution caused by nuclear energy and weapons programs built before 1989, according to a report published earlier this year by a European scientific committee. The research, from the European Committee on Radiation Risk (ECRR), raises doubts about previous estimates of the risk posed to humans from exposure to radiation from nuclear power and weapons.… return to article
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Reader Comments (8)Page 1 of 1 pagesThis material will be of great interest to Green Delaware and our allied organizations.
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Posted by Alan Muller on May 19, 2003 at 8:31 PM ‘No exposure level is safe’ is patent nonsense. Exposure from natural sources (cosmic rays, radon, patasium in our bones) is non-trivial and very variable (and, of course, has effect - we would not be there as species without its role as driver of mutations).
While I agree that many estimates of Chernobyl and TMI consequences are overly optimistic, I cannot take seriously study that bundles together normal nuclear energy use, accidents and nuclear tests, and which fails to compare their effects to those of natural radiation sources (if the article indeed represents the study accurately.)
Let’s face it: sooner rather than later we will have to rely more heavily on nuclear energy (barring radical breakthrough in fusion research). Fear mongering is not the best way to prepare for that not entirely comfortable proposition.
Posted by bonzi on May 20, 2003 at 9:44 AM “The research comes amid fresh warnings over the cement sarcophagus entombing the damaged reactor at the decommissioned nuclear plant at Chernobyl, Ukraine, where the worldís worst nuclear nightmare played out on April 26, 1986.”
Uh, wasn’t that the world’s _third_ worst nuclear nightmare?
Posted by Ted Cloak on May 21, 2003 at 5:14 PM I disagree with Bonzi when saying “Barring radical breakthrough in fusion research.” I do not know why you think relying on fission energy plants would bar the way for fusion plants. As we speak scientists are almost at a point where causing contained fusion reactions give out the same amount of energy put in. And for Ted Cloak, I would not consider the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki the worlds top two Nuclear Disasters.
Posted by Dave S on May 22, 2003 at 7:59 PM I’m teaching a class on political and social issues. Right now we’re doing a project on enviromental racism and cooporate powers. I’m at a point of desperation because our world has become a place where money and power over rule “Life”. In the end will dirty paper help when people can’t breath and safe drinking water is not available(to anyone)? We need to wake up and grab a hold of life before it’s gone! We need to protect world but also value it and eachother, continue the Cycle of Life!
Posted by Unity on May 23, 2003 at 11:17 AM “I’m teaching a class on political and social issues”
“I’m at a point of desperation because our world has become a place where money and power over rule “Life”. “
Pardon, did you say you teach? Do you teach such falsehoods to children? “money and power over rule “Life"." How dare you?
Is “environmental racism” a situation such as when they want to put a manufacturing facility on a brownfields location in a depressed neighborhood, so residents can walk to work and earn a living but because there will indeed be increased traffic and emission of pollutants they won’t let it open, asking why they don’t instead build it on a golf course?
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Posted by fsdf on Jun 3, 2003 at 11:27 PM 
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