Radiation and Cancer in Idaho (Boise, Pocatello: transplants, for sale, buy)

[BrianX]

Originally Posted by banjomike

There are 3 cancer hot spots in Idaho, 2 in the south and 1 in the north. There are hot spots all over the country.
CLUSTERS

Nice find.

Small nit, but I'm looking at that map & data, and it looks like its 2 in the north, 1 in the south.

• Moreland, Bingham County, Idaho
• Nez Perce County, Idaho
• Shoshone County, Idaho

[countrylv22]

Originally Posted by banjomike

There are 3 cancer hot spots in Idaho, 2 in the south and 1 in the north. There are hot spots all over the country.
CLUSTERS

I've known about the one in Moreland for years; a friend's wife who died from breast cancer was from Moreland. The cluster in Moreland is a high instance of brain cancer.

Since there are so many known and possible carcinogens, it's very hard to determine if there is one specific cause or many.

Thanks for your informative posts You should win one of the $500 most inforamative poster contest I will see what I can do

[benchfan]

Great discussion and information, everyone! I do highly recommend radon testing in the area for anyone with a basement. It's an easy test with an easy fix and so important if you have basement space that is living space. For my buyers, I'd say about half the homes we test for radon are above EPA limits. It's a no-brainer to have the seller fix this. If you already own a home with a basement, the test is not expensive and professional remediation will be a couple of thousand dollars. Truly do take a look at this for your health and cancer prevention!!

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by rhinestonesniper

We've been researching the heck out of a move to Idaho for the past 8 months, and will be visiting in a few weeks to check out the area for homes. Idaho seems to be a great fit for us.

Unfortunately, it was brought to our attention this past week that Emmett (the town we were hoping to land in) has extremely high cancer rates due to the radiation testing in the 50's and 60's. We're in our 30's, so I think we should steer clear of the majority of the problems that come with being raised in the area, but we do plan on having children and would hate to increase their chances for cancer and other radiation related diseases.

Does anyone know if the effects are still lingering around Idaho? Specifically, is it still in the ground water & soil, are there still increased risk rates for cancer in the state because of this? Also, it looks like there is a nuclear waste site about 70 miles south of Boise, which is a little concerning. I know the internet isn't always full or truthful information, so I would like to get some local opinions about this. We really love Idaho, but want to make sure it is safe before we buy a home there.

Thanks in advance for and information you can provide!

Ha ha, the population must be going up again. I moved to Idaho when the population of Boise Idaho was under 50k, and the rumor started with a influx of CA people. In part it is true, there was testing in Hanford. And Arco. It was the first nuclear town in the world. It didn't last long. The more worry was the nuclear testing in Nevada. You can relax, the cows are fine and have been for many many years. The wind doesn't blow right to be in the path. If Emmett had high cancer rates it would be from CA sunburn victims moving up. We worried about it too, I was an early teen when that rumor started and both of my sisters wanted kids. We researched it fully and found the facts, which when you research it fully you will be surprised at how diligent the Idaho govs have been to keep nuclear anything out of Idaho even with the Mtn Home AFB. The more recent worry was the ground and water around Featherville and Pine and other old mining towns that were shut down. All of us grew up cancer free and many of my friends have beautiful children cancer free all of them. My niece was born and raised in Idaho near Emmett with nary a problem. It is an old rumor, it is partially true. Idaho has a very interesting history and one that bears looking at with the first nuclear city of the world. I ate trout caught in Idaho a lot and never got sick from that, so have many generations of Idahoans.

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by workingonit

Ha ha, the population must be going up again. I moved to Idaho when the population of Boise Idaho was under 50k, and the rumor started with a influx of CA people. In part it is true, there was testing in Hanford. And Arco. It was the first nuclear town in the world. It didn't last long. The more worry was the nuclear testing in Nevada. You can relax, the cows are fine and have been for many many years. The wind doesn't blow right to be in the path. If Emmett had high cancer rates it would be from CA sunburn victims moving up. We worried about it too, I was an early teen when that rumor started and both of my sisters wanted kids. We researched it fully and found the facts, which when you research it fully you will be surprised at how diligent the Idaho govs have been to keep nuclear anything out of Idaho even with the Mtn Home AFB. The more recent worry was the ground and water around Featherville and Pine and other old mining towns that were shut down. All of us grew up cancer free and many of my friends have beautiful children cancer free all of them. My niece was born and raised in Idaho near Emmett with nary a problem. It is an old rumor, it is partially true. Idaho has a very interesting history and one that bears looking at with the first nuclear city of the world. I ate trout caught in Idaho a lot and never got sick from that, so have many generations of Idahoans.

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I checked my data to be sure I had the names Hanford and Arco right, and I found that Hanford WA is leaking now. Didn't used to. Hanford, WA was part of the Manhatten Project, and Arco, ID was the first town to use nuclear power in the world. OOps, sorry for being trite about a serious matter. The story was good when I was a kid, all of the grasses and waters and such were checked for radiation and nuclear waste. There was some testing down in Nevada with Bombs and reactors and all of that, but the tests came back negative or minuet on any lasting nasties, milk was checked and all of that from the cows. It is not just Emmett, it is all of the Western Idaho area including Twin Falls. Yeah, you need to check to see if Hanford is a scare or for real. Yakima is an armpit, unkempt armpit. This is a 2006 map from Cancer institute, supposed to be radiation fall out from
Nevada test site outside Las Vegas, but you know double check because sometimes things get out of proportion when someone is trying to prove a point. Fact, Arco ID is interesting and factual. Fact, Hanford WA was part of the Manhatten Project.
[URL="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/US_fallout_exposure.png"]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...t_exposure.png[/URL]No higher resolution available.

[URL="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/US_fallout_exposure.png"]US_fallout_exposure.png[/URL] ‎(615 × 432 pixels, file size: 119 KB, MIME type: image/png)

[Hp1167]

Google "Idaho National Laboratory" + "Snake River Aquifer."

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by workingonit

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I checked my data to be sure I had the names Hanford and Arco right, and I found that Hanford WA is leaking now. Didn't used to. Hanford, WA was part of the Manhatten Project, and Arco, ID was the first town to use nuclear power in the world. OOps, sorry for being trite about a serious matter. The story was good when I was a kid, all of the grasses and waters and such were checked for radiation and nuclear waste. There was some testing down in Nevada with Bombs and reactors and all of that, but the tests came back negative or minuet on any lasting nasties, milk was checked and all of that from the cows. It is not just Emmett, it is all of the Western Idaho area including Twin Falls. Yeah, you need to check to see if Hanford is a scare or for real. Yakima is an armpit, unkempt armpit. This is a 2006 map from Cancer institute, supposed to be radiation fall out from
Nevada test site outside Las Vegas, but you know double check because sometimes things get out of proportion when someone is trying to prove a point. Fact, Arco ID is interesting and factual. Fact, Hanford WA was part of the Manhatten Project.
No higher resolution available.

US_fallout_exposure.png ‎(615 × 432 pixels, file size: 119 KB, MIME type: image/png)

Workingonit,

Of the 44 counties in ID would you expect all to have the same % of any disease? If so why? How do you control for:

1. People who lived elsewhere and were diagnosed with cancer after moving to ID?

2. Diagnosis and treatment access for each county's residents?

I appreciate this 7 year old information. I hope you can post more current info. Certain cancers are much lower in ID than other states.

I think it's always wise to research concerns before moving. Deadly MVAs are much higher % wise in rural states than highly populated states. There is more than one factor involved in rural MVA deaths too.

I still wonder when someone will post info from MSTI.

MSR

[unggoy_pekpek]

I've heard as well that due not only to nuclear energy testing(and mistakes) which was founded in Idaho, but also the wind blowing up all the crap from Nevada nuclear bomb testing, that Idaho is the most dangerous and polluted State in the USA. Worst place to raise kids. Especially if they are from California!

Perhaps a rumor made by the locals?

But what about the map above? It's pretty clear. Surely the ACS is not wrong?

[rhinestonesniper]

Originally Posted by unggoy_pekpek

I've heard as well that due not only to nuclear energy testing(and mistakes) which was founded in Idaho, but also the wind blowing up all the crap from Nevada nuclear bomb testing, that Idaho is the most dangerous and polluted State in the USA. Worst place to raise kids. Especially if they are from California!

Perhaps a rumor made by the locals?

But what about the map above? It's pretty clear. Surely the ACS is not wrong?

HA! Don't worry, I won't tell any other Californians how wonderful Idaho is We don't agree with the majority of what goes on in CA and look forward to living around like minded people.

After spending a week in the area, we're ready to buy in the Middleton/Star area. We had a great trip, met a lot of very nice people and can't wait to live there! Too many great things to say about your state, kuddos to the Idahoans. You guys sure know how to run a clean and friendly state.

As far as our research on the cancer/radiation issue, we are still a smidge concerned, but with the right testing before we buy I think we'll be in the clear. The water in CA is so bad that we currently use a reverse osmosis filter on our water, and were told by an Idaho state toxicologist that the filter will take care of just about anything that might be found in a well in Idaho (aside from bacteria), so that's the plan.

The biggest thing we took from all this research is how blissfully unaware the majority of us are about cancer rates. Men have a 50/50 shot of getting it and women have a 1 in 3 chance. Shocking!

[pll]

Is it possible to have a dialogue in the Idaho forum without bashing California? I thought the topic was "radiation and cancer in Idaho".