They Are Still Dying From Radiation Poisoning BUT Navajo's Request For Uranium Cleanup Ignored

[Bobbieo]

AND Bushco wants to reopen these mines!!!!

http://nativeunity.blogspot.com

[madokie]

1. Nuclear energy is neither safe nor cheap

The world would have been better off had that genie never been let out of the bottle. What is the number of deaths that could be contributed to the production of nuclear energy?

[Bobbieo]

2. How about the nationwide cancer deaths that can be attributed to the

Nevada bomb tests during the Cold War from the 50s to the 70s!

[madokie]

3. I guess we'll never know the real numbers as the nuclear consortium doesn't admit to any

[bluesmail]

5. Excellent point...which deserves repeating. n/t

[kestrel91316]

10. My dad was exposed to fallout from aboveground testing in the SW in the 50s.

He died of cancer in 1980 at age 47. You'll never convince me the radiation wasn't a factor.

[DCKit]

4. Radiation? I'm thinking the toxic effects of the heavy metals would be far more prevalent.

Either way, it sucks, but if we don't call it what it is, we have no basis for an argument.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium#Chemical_toxicity

"Chemical toxicity

The chemical toxicity of depleted uranium is about a million times greater in vivo than its radiological hazard.<47> Health effects of DU are determined by factors such as the extent of exposure and whether it was internal or external. Three main pathways exist by which internalization of uranium may occur: inhalation, ingestion, and embedded fragments or shrapnel contamination. Properties such as phase (e.g. particulate or gaseous), oxidation state (e.g. metallic or ceramic), and the solubility of uranium and its compounds influence their absorption, distribution, translocation, elimination and the resulting toxicity. For example, metallic uranium is relatively non-toxic compared to hexavalent uranium(VI) uranyl compounds such as uranium trioxide.<48><49>

Uranium is pyrophoric when finely divided.<20> It will corrode under the influence of air and water producing insoluble uranium(IV) and soluble uranium (VI) salts. Soluble uranium salts are toxic. Uranium slowly accumulates in several organs, such as the liver, spleen, and kidneys. The World Health Organization has established a daily "tolerated intake" of soluble uranium salts for the general public of 0.5 µg/kg body weight, or 35 µg for a 70 kg adult.

While epidemiological studies on laboratory animals point to it as being an immunotoxin,<50> teratogen,<51><52> neurotoxic,<53> with carcinogenic and leukemogenic potential,<54> there has been no definite link between possible health effects in laboratory animals and humans. A 2005 report by epidemiologists concluded: "the human epidemiological evidence is consistent with increased risk of birth defects in offspring of persons exposed to DU."<55>"

http://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/DU-Medical-Effects-Mar99.htm

"Exposure to the isotopes of uranium produces both chemical and toxic hazards to humans and have been studied extensively from the early data on uranium miners to the most recent controversy of depleted uranium in the Gulf War. Radioactive ore dust inhalation and its risk due to internal contamination with 238U, 234U, 230Th and 226Ra, have been well documented in the literature in studies from different parts of the world (55), with particular reference to the exposure to radon and radon daughters 213Po, 214Pb, and 214Po, formed in radon decay processes in mines (56). Three major areas of uranium-related medical concerns are the responsibility of the US Uranium Registry, funded by the Department of Energy and operated by the Hanford Environmental Health Foundation. The uranium registry, which was established about 20 years ago, defined three major uranium-related areas of registry: 1) survey of uranium facilities; 2) survey of epidemiological studies; and 3) human internal deposition of uranium and its decay products (57).

The US Transuranium Registry (USTR) was another program established in 1968 as the National Plutonium Registry. It conducted studies on human biodistribution of actinides (58). Most recent studies indicate significantly higher prevalence of malignant diseases in uranium workers (59), with increased mutations in underground miners (60) and connective tissue disease, including lupus erythematosus (61). Reproductive toxicity of uranium in a recent Chinese study includes chromosome aberrations in spermatogonia, causing DNA alterations in the spermatocytes and strand breakage in sperm (62). This has implications in the current controversy of depleted uranium and Desert Storm Syndrome (63) and Al-Eskan disease (64) as related to depleted uranium ammunition and armor."

[TheWraith]

6. You're exactly right. The radiation level of natural uranium is so low as to be basically a footnote

It's heavy metals that are killing these people. Same thing would be true if the mines had been for tungsten, or lead, or cadmium--it would be every bit as deadly.

But hey, nobody should let little things like facts get in the way of a good mental masturbation session. Hey, it's not like anyone really cares about how these people got screwed over. What's really important is how it can be used to bash nuclear power. :eyes:

[Bobbieo]

7. You cannot deny the existence of the 'Downwinders'

who were affected by the bombs detonated at Nevada Test Site. The prevailing westerly winds carried those radioactive clouds across the country and into Canada.

[newfie11]

17. As a down winder I agree. Also my dad worked in Ambrosia Lake NM

We lived there in 1958. He was an electrician wiring the area.
I remember yellow-cake laying next to bored holes in pastures. Big piles of this stuff sitting near the mines with only chain link fences to keep people away but that didn't stop the wind from blowing it out.
Want to read about that area:
http://cpluhna.nau.edu/Change/uranium.htm

He also worked at jackass flats NV. Yeah I know about being a down-winder. He died with stomach cancer.

[TheWraith]

18. You're comparing natural uranium to an uncontrolled fission reaction?

Thanks for proving that you really do know nothing about radiation or nuclear physics. Of COURSE the fallout zones of nuclear testing are dangerous--though the effect outside a limited range is very minimal. But confusing the two because they both involve the word "nuclear" is a level of "science" you usually see associated with creationists and the Flat Earth Society.

[kestrel91316]

11. Are you subbing for NNadir while he's on vacation or something?

I notice he's not around to screech, but here YOU are.

Things to ponder........

[roody]

12. And where is Mr. Codeine to say STICK IT to

those native americans?

[TheWraith]

19. I'm glad you agree that you can't refute the science of what I said. nt

[midnight]

8. Such a shame.

[Bobbieo]

9. I'm not against nuclear power when all the safety precautions are taken BUT

those uranium mine owners should have been made to clean up their mess when they closed the mines years ago. That is the problem with the Navajo People, today!!!

[Name removed]

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[Bobbieo]

14. You effete snob - How dare you accuse me of not caring about miners who have died

who have died of black lung disease. My husband's father, back in Pa, died from the disease. He was a coal miner for 30 years. Had a close friedn who dad also died from black lung.

The Navajo children who are dying are dying because the mine owners, shut down the mines in the 70s, walked away and left the radioactive debris. Now, they want to come back and reopen those mines because the price of uranium is soaring.

[Name removed]

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[farmboxer]

15. We are all subhuman to Bush and his pals

They spit on our graves! Bush has never worked a day in his life, always rich and criminal. Money for the extremely rich is important to Bush & pals, humans death and suffering means nothing to them.