DR HELEN Caldicott recently spoke of the safety issues and dangers of uranium mining at the Public Health Association of Australia’s “Uranium Mining: What are the health risks for WA?” seminar.
Caldicott says uranium mining could present communities with a variety of health problems, from leukemia to congenital defects.
The Nobel Prize winner says that miners and nearby residents, as well as the larger community if the resource is transported incorrectly, could be at risk should they be exposed to harmful materials. She warns that all radiation is cumulative, every small amount of radiation you get adds to your susceptibility to cancer.
Uranium mining has been on the agenda in Western Australia recently with several projects being considered by developers since the newly-elected state government lifted the ban on uranium mining in the state.
Dr Caldicott is internationally recognised for her work on nuclear issues, as well as being the co-founder of Physicians For Social Responsibility and President of the Nuclear Policy Research Institute in Washington DC.
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