Publication Laka-library:
Radioactive Strontium-90 in Baby Teeth near the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant (2002)
| Author | J.J.Mangano, RPHP |
 | - |
| Date | October 2002 |
| Classification | 3.01.8.10/15 (UNITED STATES - SITES - NORTH EAST OTHER) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On December 15, 2000, the Westchester County legislature voted to appropriate $25,000 to the Radiation and Public Health Project (RPHP) research group to collect and test babyteeth for levels of radioactive Strontium-90 (Sr-90). The vote was motivated by long-standing public concerns about the risk to the local population of the Indian Point nuclearpower plant in Buchanan NY. Just months earlier, on February 15, 2000 an accidentoccurred at the Indian Point 2 reactor, closing it for repairs for nearly a year. Health and safety concerns about Indian Point are reflected in the following data: - Since the mid-1970s, Indian Point units 2 and 3 have operated just over 60% and 50% of the time, well below the U.S. average of 75%. Closings were due to mechanicalproblems. - Indian Point has emitted the 5th highest (of 72 U.S. plants) amount of airborne radioactivity since 1970. - Local radioactivity levels in water and milk are far higher than they are in Albany, which is not near any commercial nuclear reactor. - Current rates of childhood cancer cases and deaths in Westchester exceeded U.S. rates by 26% and 21% over the past 12 years. The county legislature directed RPHP to analyze tooth results, and assess any health riskto Westchester residents posed by in-body radioactivity. The group has collected 143 additional teeth from persons born in Westchester thus far, along with 50 and 33 otherteeth from nearby Rockland and Putnam Counties.
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