The disaster in Japan has caused more than just a national crisis, it has also created some worldwide public health concerns. These concerns include obtaining clean water, food, medical supplies, and shelter – all the basics of life. Yet, one public health risk is causing the most unrest around the world: radiation exposure from Japan’s nuclear power plants.
The Environmental Protection Agency notes that radiation is energy that travels in the form of waves or high-speed particles. It is a naturally occurring phenomenon found in both sunlight and sound waves. Man-made radiation is a similar entity and is used routinely for X-rays, in your cell phones, and other electronic devices. Exposure to small amounts of radiation over long periods of time does raise your risks for cancer. Exposure to large amounts over short periods of time can cause radiation sickness, including nausea, weakness, hair loss, skin burns, and reduced organ function. The EPA warns that large exposures, such as that from a nuclear power plan meltdown can cause premature aging or death.
With those statistics associated with the word “radiation,” it’s no wonder there are worldwide concerns regarding exposure. Plus, the probable exacerbation of such concern could likely stem from the remembrance of two prior nuclear disasters: Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. The World Health Organization has clearly stated that although Japan’s nuclear reactor problems are serious, they are not of the same magnitude that were seen in the two prior cases. At the time of the Chernobyl and TMI incidents, the reactors in question were constructed with far less safety regulations than the ones in modern-day Japan. Studies have shown that the radiation levels from Chernobyl occurred because the facility lacked a secondary containment, now required at any modern nuclear power plant. During that incident, radiation that was inadvertently released into the air traveled by wind to affect the northern parts of the Ukraine.
Last weekend’s tragedy does carry some risk of wind that could blow radiation across the Pacific Ocean and onto the west coast of the United States. The question remains how large is the risk to the United States? Can that air actually reach Pennsylvania? On Sunday, March 13, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued an emergency statement that addressed this issue: “Given the thousands of miles between the two countries, Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Territories, and the U.S. West Coast are not expected to experience any harmful levels of radioactivity.” A news report out of Fresno, California also confirmed the U.S. NRC’s statement. According to the CEO of the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group, “there is no possibility of enough radiation leaking to get into the air to come that far.” That means that it is even far unlikely that any radiation will linger across the states to the Atlantic Ocean. It will dissipate long beforehand.
Although close to zero percent, the risk of radiation exposure in the United States does exist. A worst-case scenario could cause heavy radioactivity from excessive heat to be carried by both water and air across the Pacific, according to nuclear security experts. Yet, considering that sea water and boric acid are working to keep the reactors cool, this is an unlikely event. Experts say the containments around the reactors were built for protection and are holding. While a meltdown is possible, it is not going to cause the problems seen at TMI or Chernobyl.
If you do have loved ones on the west coast, there is no need for alarm. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that we are exposed to radiation every day from all types of sources. However, in the event of an emergency, advisories may be posted to “shelter in place.” This means that people should stay inside their homes, confine their airflow to indoors and stay away from outdoor air. If this were to happen, it would only last for a short period of time. For more details on radiation exposure, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Emergency preparedness and response: Radiation emergencies. Retrieved March 14, 2011 from http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/.
Doyle, A. (2011). Japan nuclear health risks low, won't blow abroad. Retrieved March 14, 2011 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110313/hl_nm/us_japan_quake_health.
Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Radiation exposure. Retrieved March 14, 2011 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/radiationexposure.html.
Garma, J. (2011). Japan tsunami creates health concerns… are you prepared? Retrieved March 14, 2011 from http://www.garmaonhealth.com/2011/03/japan-tsunami-health/#.
Williams, D. (2009). Radiation carcinogenesis: Lessons from Chernobyl. Oncogene, 27, S9-S18.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (2011). NRC News Brief No. 11-046. Retrieved March 14, 2011 from http://www.nrc.gov/.
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