4AORI7&
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