Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Letter on Fukushima Radiation and EPA Testing July 19 2011 to my Congressional Representatives


Dear Representative
I am aghast by what is happening in Japan and the U.S. as a result of the Fukushima disaster. Let me start with my concerns about the U.S.
I have been following the EPA’s radnet data daily since late March. I can tell you with certainty that when the jet stream is overhead, radiation fallout is a significant problem. I have tracked radiation levels in my city and across the country every single day. The jet stream correlates with radiation levels that can range upward of 10 times “background.”
Arnie Gunderson describes scientific analysis of “hot” alpha particles found in Seattle. The average Seattle citizen inhaled/ingested 5 hot particles a day in April (Gunderson, 5/12, Hot Particles and Radiation Detectors http://fairewinds.com/updates).

Japan continues to emit radiation daily. The situation remains out of control. Read NHK news for updates on the inability of Tepco to contain the criticalities at unit #3.
Background radiation can cause cancer and genetic mutations. Radiation played a role in evolution. So, ten times background radiation is going to have consequences for human health and reproduction.
I am an academic. I have excellent research skills and I have spent months looking at the accumulated evidence on the effects of “low” level ionizing radiation. We are in trouble.
Yet our government has limited testing of water and food. The EPA has returned to typical testing patterns and so individuals could be consuming contaminated milk, berries, and lettuce (foods likely to be contaminated) for a couple of months before the EPA reports their results. Furthermore, the USDA and FDA regulate radiation levels in milk and produce and their levels are set far higher—dangerously higher—than EPA drinking water levels.
 The EPA must increase its number of monitoring stations and the frequency of testing. The USDA and FDA must lower their radiation contamination intervention levels to protect human health.
Why are we repeating the pattern of denial and deception that characterized the period of above-ground nuclear testing in the US southwest? Why are we allowing our children to be exposed to radiation levels that could cause cancer later in their lives? Why are we compromising our genetic heritage? Already research has found excess mortality for infants in California and Philadelphia.
To repeat, the EPA must step up testing and publicize results. All products imported from Japan must be tested for radiation. All seafood from the Pacific must be tested for radiation as contaminated waters and contaminated large fish make their way across the Pacific to the US and Canadian west coasts.
Furthermore, the situation in Japan is simply a case of genocide. The US must put pressure on the Japanese government to stop pressuring Fukushima residents to return to highly contaminated areas. We must help stop the collective suicide that is happening in Japan. Please think of the children who are being sacrificed in order for Japan to present a false image of normality.
Finally, let me conclude by stating that we had better look carefully at our own nuclear plants, as recommended by The Wall Street Journal in a front page story dated July 19. San Onofre and Diablo Canyon could suffer the same fate as Fukushima I. Plants on the US east coast could suffer from a quake along the New Madrid fault line.

Heaven forbid such an event, but should it occur we will suffer devastating health consequences. We must close plants on or in close proximity to earthquake prone faults!
Sincerely,

Dr. Majia Holmer Nadesan
Selected References
45% of kids in Fukushima survey had thyroid exposure to radiation (2011, July 5). http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110705p2g00m0dm079000c.html)
Averbeck, Dietrich (2010, May1), Towards a New Paradigm for Evaluating the Effects of Exposure to Ionizing Radiation. Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis Volume 687, Issues 1-2, 1 May 2010 pages 7-12
Busby, Chris (2011, June 24). Statement of Chris Busby in relation to provisional injunction against Education Committee of Koryama City, Fukushima to evacuate the children for the radioactively contaminated area being filed on 24th June 2011 http://1am.sakura.ne.jp/Nuclear/110623Statement-BusbyE.pdf
Chittim, Gary (2011,July 12). High levels of radiation detected in Northwest rainwater. MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43720548/ns/us_news-environment/
Cockburn (2011, June 17). Post-Fukushima Infant Deaths in the Pacific Northwest http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn06172011.html
Donn, Jeff (2011, June 20). As nuclear plants age, NRC loosens safety regulations: Problems often fixed by saying rules too strict. Boston.Com http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2011/06/20/as_nuclear_plants_age_nrc_loosens_safety_regulations/

EPA RadNet Air Filter and Air Cartridge Results Last updated on April 6, 2011 http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/docs/rert/radnet-cart-filter-final.pdf

Goodell, Jeff (2011, April 27). America’s Nuclear Nightmare: The U.S. has 31 reactors just like Japan’s — but regulators are ignoring the risks and boosting industry profits. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/america-s-nuclear-nightmare-20110427
Huang L, Kim PM, Nickoloff JA, Morgan WF. 2007. Targeted and nontargeted effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on delayed genomic instability in human cells. Cancer Research 67:1099–1104.
Tokyo Shinbun (paper edition only, 6/16/2011) reports that many children in Koriyama City in Fukushima Prefecture, 50 kilometers from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, are suffering inexplicable nosebleed, diarrhea, and lack of energy since the nuke plant accident. (Ex-SKF http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/06/radiation-in-japan-nosebleed-diarrhea.html)
YABLOKOV, Alexey, V.,NESTERENKO Vassily B., & NESTERENKO, Alexey V. (20). Chernobyl: consequences of the catastrophe for the people and the environment. http://www.strahlentelex.de/Yablokov%20Chernobyl%20book.pdf


1 comment:

  1. Dr. Majia:
    Please mail/forward your excellent letter to President Obama and the White House. They haven't said a peep about any of this. Someone in the White House needs to address the serious and deadly issues that nuclear power holds.

    ReplyDelete

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