Anybody concerned about living so close to Hanford?

[Pretzelogik]

Originally Posted by rambrush

Well said! Growing up in the 50's and 60's in the tri-cities it was never a issue till lately. Now its like headline news.

Have you checked the demographic maps showing the long term cancer rates of the "down-winders" in Washington east of Hanford (the way prevailing winds blow)?....its not pretty

[MovinOutWest]

The recent all cancer incidence rates aren't all that different from, and in some cases are better than, other regions of Washington and Oregon.

http://statecancerprofiles.cancer.go...53&001#incdMap

http://statecancerprofiles.cancer.go...41&001#incdMap

If you play around with the maps there, you can see some site specific cancers. Some are higher (brain, esophagus), some are lower (pancreatic, leukemia).

If you want to learn about Hanford and thyroid disease, here's a good start:
The Hanford Thyroid Disease Study (HTDS): Home | CDC RSB

Here's their conclusion: "Researchers found that the occurrence of thyroid disease in the study group was about the same as has been reported for other populations."

Bottom line, if you have questions, find all the facts you can and make the decision yourself. Only you know the level of risk you are willing to accept in your life. My opinion, the risk from Hanford I face every day living here is pretty small. You may come to a different conclusion.

[skinem]

Living close to Hanford has its benefits...in the event of a power outage the natives glow making it much easier to get around in the dark.

As sagehugger said, there were times in the past when perhaps people were negligent, but keep in mind that most people there at all times wanted to do what was safest and best. However, early on there was not as much understanding about the dangers of what they were working with.

For example, very early on, they would take radioactive waste and just bury it in 50 gallon drums. And didn't always keep track of where they buried it. There was a time period at Hanford when they had biologists tracking dump sites by taking geiger counters to rabbit droppings. They found some sites by tracking rabbits that had burrowed into the sites.

My dad spent a career at Hanford. Safety requirements, at least where he worked were pretty strict. However, again, this was in keeping with the knowledge of the day. He got what they called "crapped up" twice receiving more than the monthly safe allowable radiation all at once--or what was recognized at the time as safe and allowable. A couple of years ago he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, as have a number of people who worked there during the same time. It will end up killing him and has been determined that it was even odds it was caused by working at Hanford.

He doesn't have any ill will about it...says they all just did the best they knew how to do at the time. (He talks about the original guys out there telling stories about just walking around unprotected around the nuclear pile--just not knowing better.)

Our family was part of a down-winder study. Mom has had some thyroid issues, but were unable to determine whether or not there is a Hanford connection.

I wouldn't hesitate to live in the area again as it's a dead reactor...just don't eat any of the three-eyed fish out of the Columbia.

[bdowngold]

Lethal And Leaking - 60 Minutes - CBS News
There might not be increased incidents of cancer at the moment, but that will change when the nuclear waste that has been stored in Hanford for 60 years and is currently seeping into the ground reaches the Columbia River.
I notice a lot of the folks that live there don't "think about it" or belittle people who ask this question, but they are invested in the area. They own homes and have jobs or are retired and like how far those Social Security checks go in the Tri-Cities area.

[silverfox]

Originally Posted by bdowngold

Lethal And Leaking - 60 Minutes - CBS News
There might not be increased incidents of cancer at the moment, but that will change when the nuclear waste that has been stored in Hanford for 60 years and is currently seeping into the ground reaches the Columbia River.
I notice a lot of the folks that live there don't "think about it" or belittle people who ask this question, but they are invested in the area. They own homes and have jobs or are retired and like how far those Social Security checks go in the Tri-Cities area.

A couple things,

1. Should the Seepage gets to the river, and for some reason they cannot take additional steps to block it, then it won't just be the Tri Cities that takes the hit. It will most likely effect everything downstream as well depending on the amount in play.

2. I have had discussions with the Water Dept. on this issue as some water comes out of the river for drinking.
They tell me they monitor it carefully and would close that portion down immediatly.
They also have access to a huge underground water supply somehow linked to the Banks Lake area that would last for many many years and would be utilized.

3. Just the fact it hit the river would create real fear in my opinion.
It's hard to guess what the total reaction would entale.