ANALYSIS OF CANCER RISKS IN POPULATIONS NEAR NUCLEAR FACILITIES
Phase 1
Committee on the Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations near Nuclear Facilities—Phase 1
Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board
Division of Earth and Life Studies
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
The National Academies Press
Washington, D.C.
www.nap.edu
THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001
NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.
This study was supported by Contract/Grant No. NRC-04-10-152 between the National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-25571-4
International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-25571-6
ISBN 0-309-25574-0
Cover images: Regional maps of northeastern (front cover) and northwestern (back cover) states and populations living in census tracts within 30 miles of nuclear power plants. See Figures 4.4a-d for more information. Maps were created by committee member Lance Waller (Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia).
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COMMITTEE ON THE ANALYSIS OF CANCER RISKS IN POPULATIONS NEAR NUCLEAR FACILITIES—PHASE 1
JOHN E. BURRIS, Chair, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina
JOHN C. BAILAR, III, University of Chicago (retired), Washington, DC
HAROLD L. BECK, Environmental Measurements Laboratory (retired), New York, New York
ANDRE BOUVILLE, National Cancer Institute (retired), Bethesda, Maryland
PHAEDRA S. CORSO, University of Georgia, Athens
PATRICIA J. CULLIGAN, Columbia University, New York, New York
PAUL M. DELUCA, JR., University of Wisconsin, Madison
RAYMOND A. GUILMETTE, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico
GEORGE M. HORNBERGER, Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and Environment, Nashville, Tennessee
MARGARET KARAGAS, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
ROGER KASPERSON, Clark University (retired), Worcester, Massachusetts
JAMES E. KLAUNIG, Indiana University, Bloomington
TIMOTHY MOUSSEAU, University of South Carolina, Columbia
SHARON B. MURPHY, University of Texas Health Science Center (retired), Washington, DC
ROY E. SHORE, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan
DANIEL O. STRAM, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
MARGOT TIRMARCHE, Institute of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
LANCE WALLER, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
GAYLE E. WOLOSCHAK, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
JEFFREY J. WONG, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento
Staff
KEVIN D. CROWLEY, Study Director
OURANIA KOSTI, Program Officer
TIMOTHY A. BOULEY, Research Associate
TONI GREENLEAF, Administrative and Financial Associate
SHAUNTEÉ WHETSTONE, Senior Program Assistant
ERIN WINGO, Communications Liaison
JAMES YATES, JR., Office Assistant
NUCLEAR AND RADIATION STUDIES BOARD
JAY DAVIS (Chair), Hertz Foundation, Livermore, California
BARBARA J. MCNEIL (Vice Chair), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
JOONHONG AHN, University of California, Berkeley
JOHN S. APPLEGATE, Indiana University, Bloomington
MICHAEL L. CORRADINI, University of Wisconsin, Madison
PATRICIA J. CULLIGAN, Columbia University, New York
ROBERT C. DYNES, University of California, San Diego
JOE GRAY, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, California
DAVID G. HOEL, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
HEDVIG HRICAK, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
THOMAS H. ISAACS, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
ANNIE B. KERSTING, Glenn T. Seaborg Institute, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California
MARTHA S. LINET, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
FRED A. METTLER, JR., New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque
BORIS F. MYASOEDOV, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
RICHARD J. VETTER, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
RAYMOND G. WYMER, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (retired)
Staff
KEVIN D. CROWLEY, Senior Board Director
JENNIFER A. HEIMBERG, Senior Program Officer
OURANIA KOSTI, Program Officer
TONI GREENLEAF, Administrative and Financial Associate
LAURA D. LLANOS, Administrative and Financial Associate
SHAUNTEÉ WHETSTONE, Senior Program Assistant
ERIN WINGO, Senior Program Assistant
JAMES YATES, JR., Office Assistant
Acknowledgments
The committee wishes to acknowledge and thank a number of individuals and organizations for their valuable contributions to this study:
- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) for its sponsorship of this study, and especially USNRC staff members Brian Sheron, Terry Brock, Vered Shaffer, Marilyn Diaz, John Tomon, Scott Burnell, Dave McIntyre, Richard Conatser, John Cassidy, and Don Stearns. Dr. Brock, the USNRC’s designated liaison to the committee, served as a guide to the USNRC’s regulatory programs and the agency’s vast collection of technical documents.
- The presenters at the committee’s information-gathering meetings, who are listed in Appendix C.
- Members of the public and nongovernmental organizations who shared their perspectives and concerns about cancer risks associated with living near nuclear facilities. Some submitted extensive written information, notably: Beyond Nuclear, the Erwin Citizens Awareness Network, Inc., the C-10 Foundation, and Anthony and Ipatia Apostolides. Their comments helped to shape the epidemiologic study designs that are recommended in this report.
- The Electric Power Research Institute (especially Phung Tran), Raid Amin, University of West Florida, and Steve Wing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, for providing written advice on epidemiologic study designs.
- Willie Harris and Robert Osgood, Dresden Nuclear Power Station, Kathy Yhip and Mike Russell, San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station,
- and Marie Moore and Mark Elliott, Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc (NFS), for supporting facility visits by subgroups of committee members. Ms. Moore also provided information about NFS’ effluent release records.
- Rosanne Aaberg (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory [PNNL]) and David Baker (PNNL, retired) for assistance in obtaining PNNL’s archived data on nuclear plant effluent releases.
- Ralph Andersen and Andrew Mauer, Nuclear Energy Institute, for providing information about operating practices and effluent release records at nuclear power plants.
- Robert Anderson, National Center of Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Christie Eheman, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC, Kevin Ward, Georgia Center for Cancer Statistics, and Scott Boggess, U.S. Census Bureau, for guidance on sources of health and population data.
- Directors and staff of state departments of public health, cancer registries, and vital statistics offices for providing information about the availability and release of health data (see Appendixes K-M).
The committee extends special thanks to the staff of the National Research Council for supporting this study. Study director Kevin Crowley and program officer Ourania Kosti organized the committee meetings and assisted the committee with report writing and review. They also provided valuable insights and perspectives on many aspects of the study. Shaunteé Whetstone managed the logistics of the meetings, report review, and publication. Erin Wingo led the public communication efforts with help from Catherine Allen-West. Jennifer Walsh led the media communication efforts. Timothy Bouley assisted with information gathering and analysis. Roger Herdman, Institute of Medicine, provided guidance on identifying surveillance systems that collect information on population characteristics over time.
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of the National Research Council. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Research Council in making its published report as sound as possible and will ensure that this report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We thank the following individuals for their participation in the review of this report:
- and Marie Moore and Mark Elliott, Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc (NFS), for supporting facility visits by subgroups of committee members. Ms. Moore also provided information about NFS’ effluent release records.
- Rosanne Aaberg (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory [PNNL]) and David Baker (PNNL, retired) for assistance in obtaining PNNL’s archived data on nuclear plant effluent releases.
- Ralph Andersen and Andrew Mauer, Nuclear Energy Institute, for providing information about operating practices and effluent release records at nuclear power plants.
- Robert Anderson, National Center of Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Christie Eheman, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC, Kevin Ward, Georgia Center for Cancer Statistics, and Scott Boggess, U.S. Census Bureau, for guidance on sources of health and population data.
- Directors and staff of state departments of public health, cancer registries, and vital statistics offices for providing information about the availability and release of health data (see Appendixes K-M).
The committee extends special thanks to the staff of the National Research Council for supporting this study. Study director Kevin Crowley and program officer Ourania Kosti organized the committee meetings and assisted the committee with report writing and review. They also provided valuable insights and perspectives on many aspects of the study. Shaunteé Whetstone managed the logistics of the meetings, report review, and publication. Erin Wingo led the public communication efforts with help from Catherine Allen-West. Jennifer Walsh led the media communication efforts. Timothy Bouley assisted with information gathering and analysis. Roger Herdman, Institute of Medicine, provided guidance on identifying surveillance systems that collect information on population characteristics over time.
This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of the National Research Council. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Research Council in making its published report as sound as possible and will ensure that this report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We thank the following individuals for their participation in the review of this report:
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Contents
Background on the Study Request
Previous Studies of Cancer Risks
Strategy to Address the Study Charge
Information Gathering and Report Organization
2 EFFLUENT RELEASES FROM NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AND FUEL-CYCLE FACILITIES
Effluent Releases from Nuclear Plants
Effluent Releases from Fuel-Cycle Facilities
Availability of Meteorological Data
Background on Dose Assessment and Dose Reconstruction
Reported Radiation Doses around Nuclear Plants
Reported Dose Estimates around Nuclear Fuel-Cycle Facilities
Characterizing and Communicating Uncertainties
Background on Epidemiologic Studies
5 RISK COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Public Perceptions about Nuclear Power
Public Engagement in Phase 1 Study
Public Engagement in Phase 2 Study
APPENDIXES
B Biographical Sketches of Committee and Staff
D Origin of Radioactivity in Nuclear Plants
E Origin of Radioactivity in Fuel-Cycle Facilities
F Regulation of Effluent Releases
G Radiological Effluent Technical Specifications (RETS)
H Radiological Environmental Monitoring Program (REMP)
J Modeling Incidence and Mortality Data in an Ecologic Study
K Letter Template to State Cancer Registry
L Letter Template to State Vital Statistics Offices