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Reply To Mitchell

“LETTER:

there are "none better than

Dear Editor:

Drs. Bender, Britl and Ogie,"
he
ignores
the
serious

lengthy
Mitchell's
Ted
article in the September issue

disagreement

Micronesian
the
of
Independent on the return of

among

the

United
States
scientific
community on the safety of
Enewetak.
. Dr.
Rosalie
SBertell,
a

the Enewetak people to their
atoll ignores some important
points and treats a number of
serious health and scientific
issues in a less than serious

consultant to the Division of

Standard Setting of the U.S.
Nuclear

manner. Some examples are:
1) While Mitchell says that

Commésion,

said

Regulatory

that

the

continued on page $

report on Enewetak's safety
written by Bender and Brill

"reduced the radiation dose of

the inhabitants of Enbeji by
averaging in the population

Mitchell
3)
of
question

the
teats
plutonium

contamination from Runit or
other islands with sarcasm,
ridiculing the possibility cf "a
bird flying from Runit to some
island in the south with deadly
radiation between its toes and

fess exposed. This is like
telling one member of a
family his or her risk of lung
cancer is lowered if the other
non-smoking members of the
family are included and an
average risk given. It is a

being eaten by somebody, whe
will presumably drop dead
instantly.”
In
fact,
government

scientifically

scientists have noted that on

ridiculous

approach to public health."

Dr.
Edward
Martell, a
researcher involved in the
Bikini

and

1974,

"The

during

the

Enewetak testing

1950's,

said

in

resettlement

of

Rongelap Atoll three species

of terns in one year deposited
more than 90,000 pounds of
waste. As coconut irees and

other

plants

waste

as

take

its

~

a

~*

to have tragic consequences,

serious problem in the food
chain.
Secondly, althougn Mitchell
must know of the many year's

to

be

2)

The

Defense

Nuclear

ume

between

can

pose

exposure

to

radeictivity
and
the
development
«cf
leukemias,
tumors and cancers, he deals

with

this sericus issue only

Agency calls tne clean up
Operation
a
"remarkable
success."
Yet
tnere
are
inconsistencies
in
the

jokingly.
4; Most responsible scientists
use the "linear" metned to
estimate
hazards
from

government's

radiaton

safety

plan

which raise questions. For
example, if you stand on the

dome at Runit Island, you are
not

required

protective

to

wear

clothing.

exposure,

tnat

is,

health problems are directly
related to the size of the dose

dwon

te

the smallest dose.

any

What this means is

that

But

"safe"

exposure

level

of

no

Standing a mere 15 feet away

exists. Every dose, to

also a face mask to avoid
breathing
wind
Carried
plutonium particies.

We
know
that
natural
radiation (which comes from
the sun, etc.) is hazardous 35

on Runit Island, you are
required to wear boots and

oO

fertilizer,

particularly for the younger
members of the inhabitants.
Progressively
worse
are

>
o.

this

contamination

expected for each successive
generation in the affected
population group."

<<

z

up

such sites is extremely likely

conse quences

lu
J
m
sg
=

the smallest exposure carries
some risk.

O

Li

m

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