UNSCEAR: Increase in Cancer Unlikely following Fukushima Exposure

Press release from the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) (4/2/2014; emphasis is mine):

UNIS/OUS/237
2 April 2014

Increase in Cancer Unlikely following Fukushima Exposure - says UN Report

Low Risk of Thyroid Cancer Among Children Most Exposed

VIENNA, 2 April (UN Information Service) - Cancer levels are likely to remain stable in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power accident, according to a new UN report released today.

The report is titled Levels and effects of radiation exposure due to the nuclear accident after the 2011 great east-Japan earthquake and tsunami, by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR).

It finds that no discernible changes in future cancer rates and hereditary diseases are expected due to exposure to radiation as a result of the Fukushima nuclear accident; and, that no increases in the rates of birth defects are expected.

Nevertheless, it notes a theoretical possibility that the risk of thyroid cancer among the group of children most exposed to radiation could increase and concludes that the situation needs to be followed closely and further assessed in the future. Thyroid cancer is a rare disease among young children, and their normal risk is very low.

"People are rightly concerned about the impact on their health and their children's health," said Carl-Magnus Larsson, Chair, UNSCEAR. "Based on this assessment, however, the Committee does not expect significant changes in future cancer statistics that could be attributed to radiation exposure from the accident," he said.

The findings are based on estimates of the exposure of various population groups - including children - as well as scientific knowledge of health impacts following radiation exposure.

According to the study, the expected low impact on cancer rates of the population is largely due to prompt protective actions on the part of the Japanese authorities following the accident.

The Committee analyzed reported worker doses and also independently assessed doses for some of the workers. The Committee's assessments are broadly consistent with reported doses, but uncertainties remain for exposures during the early phase of the accident. "The Committee concluded that no discernible increase in cancer or other diseases is expected; however, the most exposed workers will receive regular health checks," said Wolfgang Weiss, Chair of the Assessment.

The Committee also evaluated the effects of radiation exposure on both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, finding that any effects would have been transient.

For marine ecosystems, the possibility of effects on flora and fauna was limited to the shoreline area adjacent to the power station and the potential for effects over the long term was considered insignificant.

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About UNSCEAR

The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), established in 1955, is mandated to undertake broad reviews of the sources of ionizing radiation and the effects on human health and the environment. Its assessments provide a scientific foundation for governments and UN agencies to formulate standards and programmes for protection against ionizing radiation.

More than 80 leading scientists worked on the study analyzing the effects of radiation exposure following the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station. Material they prepared was reviewed for technical and scientific quality by its 27 Member States at their annual session in May 2013. All scientists had to declare any conflict of interest related to their participation in the assessment.

The UNSCEAR secretariat is administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

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For more information, contact:

Jaya Mohan
Communications, UNSCEAR
Tel: +43 1 26060-4122
Mobile: +43 699 1459 4122
Email: jaya.mohan[at]unscear.org

http://www.unscear.org/

Watch the webcast of the press briefing on 2 April 2014 at 10:30 CEST at http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/webcast.html

Link to the 321-page report: http://www.unscear.org/unscear/en/publications/2013_1.html

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UN Committee: "6 Deaths at #Fukushima I Nuke Plant Have Nothing to Do with Radiation"

That's the conclusion of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). TEPCO and the Japanese government have said as much already.

Yomiuri Shinbun reports (5/24/2012):

東京電力福島第一原子力発電所事故で放出された放射線が環境や人体に及ぼす影響について調査している国連放射線影響科学委員会（事務局・ウィーン）は２３日、「作業員６人が事故後に死亡しているが、いずれも放射線被曝(ひばく)とは関係していない」との初期評価を発表した。

The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (Secretariat in Vienna) has been studying the effect of radiation from the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident on the environment and humans. The Committee announced its initial evaluation on May 23 that even though 6 workers have died since the start of the accident, the deaths have nothing to do with radiation exposure".

初期評価は、ウォルフガング・ワイス委員長の声明の形で出された。死亡した６人のうち、昨年８月に急性白血病で死亡した東電協力企業の４０歳代男性については、「作業開始から死亡までの期間が短く、被曝との因果関係はない」とした。

The initial assessment was announced as the statement from Committee Chairman Wolfgang Weiss. As to the worker from a TEPCO affiliate company in his 40s who died of acute leukemia in August last year, UNSCEAR said, "The time was too short between the start of the work and his death, so there was no causal relationship between the death and radiation exposure."

同委員会は、さらに分析を進め、来年末までに国連総会に報告書を提出する。

The Committee will conduct further analysis, and will submit its report to the United Nations General Assembly by the end of next year.

UNSCEAR's statements are as follows:

Press release (5/23/2012) "Interim Findings of Fukushima-Daiichi Assessment presented at the Annual Meeting of UNSCEAR"

Background information for journalists (PDF; 5/23/2012)

UNSCEAR's annual meeting started on May 21 in Vienna, and will last till May 25.

Committee Chairman Weiss says in the press release:

"We have been given information about measurements made on the thyroids of over 1,000 children in Iitate village, Kawamata town and Iwaki city," said Weiss. "Also, a survey in Fukushima prefecture is aiming to evaluate irradiation levels for some 2 million people living in the prefecture at the time of the accident. The results of the UNSCEAR assessment for these areas will be compared with the Japanese measurements and analysis, and any differences will be highlighted and addressed," said Weiss.

The backgrounder for the press makes it clear that UNSCEAR will have to rely on the data to be further submitted by the Japanese government, particularly regarding the radiation dose assessment of the general public in Fukushima. To further assess the dose for the Fukushima I Nuke Plant workers, it will have to rely on the data from TEPCO. To assess the impact of radiation on the environment, all it has had so far is only a small number of published studies.

For the past year, the Japanese government has been busy telling the world everything is fine, nothing to worry about, Japan has recovered from the disaster (by which they mostly mean the earthquake and tsunami, and it is not really true). They seem to have taken their own words too literally and it seems they have neglected to collect data on radiation. Oh well. Until next time, I suppose.

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