RADIATION SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AT BIKINI ATOLL
MAY 1970

In response to an inquiry by the High Commissioner of the Trust
Territory of the Pacific, the following general statement is provided
regarding radiation safety of Bikini Atoll:

On Tuesday, August 27, 1968, the ship James M. Cook arrived at
Kili Island bringing the High Commissioner, then Mr. William Norwood,
representatives of the U. S. Department of Interior, Atomic Energy
Commission, and Department of Defense, and members of the press.

A

primary purpose of the visit was to discuss with the Bikini people
the recent decision that they could be returned to their Atoll and to
answer questions regarding conditions in the Atoll.

At that meeting there

were questions on whether the islands were safe and whether food was safe
to eat.
With Mr. Chutero acting as interpreter, the AEC representative

told the Bikinians that the question of safety of returning to the Atoll
and using foods found there had been carefully studied.

A committee of

experts meeting in Washington, D. C. had concluded that returning the
people to Bikini Atoll would not offer a significant threat to their

health and safety but certain simple measures should be taken to further
reduce the low level of radiation exposure that could be received.
recommendations of this committee of experts were summarized.

The

The people

were told that for the present, only the Bikini-Eneu complex is to be

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