Burnham On Sea cancer Data

Local groups collated a cancer incidence appears to be an excess of cancer within the Burnham On Sea Ward.

This many years ago indicated by Cancer Registry Data that was made available- which made cancer numbers appear within excess of expected statistical numbers.

More recently

http://www.sahsu.org Small Area Health Statistics From Imperial College.

Interactive atlas map here

Somerset intelligence District Map

Somerset Intelligence Ward Map

 

The issue with any study is a control group, cancer data provided wasn’t detailed enough :-

  • Age
  • Smoking history
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Exposure to domestic & work place carcinogens
  • Genetic Disposition
  • Diet
  • Socioeconomic group
  • Population migration (example pensioners retiring to Burnham On Sea)
  • Nuclear emissions from Hinkley point
  • Amersham International  (Cardiff Bay)

Firstly we need to address radioactivity and there are basics of

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and Technologically Enhanced

Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) consist of materials, usually industrial wastes or by-products enriched with radioactive elements found in the environment, such as uranium, thorium and potassium and any of their decay …

Isotopes that are either natural or man made

Either NORM that decays without any human interference or Nuclear transmutation to created isotopes of an element not found in nature.

Isotopes in the human body

We are all radioactive and contain Potassium K40 in our bodies, however there are distinct differences in the biological effects of say Potassium K40 and say Radium 226. Leading to :-

  • Insoluble and excretion time for calculated dose rate
  • Soluble and interaction with body eg Sr90 bone seeking
  • Alpha Beta and Gamma radiation and decay from one isotope to another
  •  Tolerability of Norm,TENORM and transmuted Isotopes

Reactors at Hinkley point

A local focus point for any perception of negative radiological effects.

Mainly to the licence’d emissions and fears that reactor maintenance outages will peek discharges in spikes- that are averaged over a week or a month.

Probable cancer and ill health causes

Great Focus has been made on Hinkley Point with little consideration of the vast reduction in radioactive emissions compared to a Coal fired Power station and the tons of thorium /uranium radioactive fly ash.

Fly ash which was made into building materials such as ash and cinder blocks.

Near zero consideration of NORM and TENORM vastly greater possible effects.

Gamma Spectremetry

Depending on resolution

  • HPGE detector will find Cs137 and a whole host of isotopes from atmospheric testing.
  • Sodium Iodide detector will find Chernobyl Cs137 in TeNORM in European wood ash.

However running three separate gamma Spectemetry rigs with a lead castle, I have been unable to find anything but NORM & TeNorm in the samples people have asked me to test.

Therefore one must conclude that any negative effects from a nuclear reactor in samples received are below level of detection and therefore other factors are in play.

Summary

while Hinkley point emissions are scrutinized, they fall into the category of basically so low as to be irreverent when compared to high levels of NORM in the form of

  • Uranium
  • Thorium
  • Potassium

While there may be excess of Cancer and Ill health in Burnham On Sea, the data collected to date does not contain enough environmental factors collated to form a scientific opinion.

However an excess of cancer study prior to the start of Hinkley showed that there were an excess of expected cancers PRIOR TO HINKLEY OPERATING.

Cancer Prior To Hinkley.pdf

Pre Reactor Cancer Rates

So in light of an expected excess of Cancer Prior to Hinkley Reactors gaining criticality

As yet I have seen nothing that blackens Hinkley Points copybook- only masses and masses of NORM

Sanderson, D.C.W., Scott, E., Baxter, M.S., Martin , E. and Ni Riain, S. (1993) The Use of Aerial Radiometrics for Epidemiological Studies of Leukaemia: a Preliminary Investigation in SW England. Project Report. Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre, Glasgow, UK. http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/57742/ Deposited on: 24 January 2012



http://www.ukso.org/tellus/home.html

limited south west to left and scroll down

Conclusion

Lack of investigation of:-

  • Age
  • Smoking history
  • Drinking consumption
  • Exposure to domestic & work place carcinogens
  • Genetic Disposition
  • Diet
  • Socioeconomic group
  • Population migration (example pensioners retiring to Burnham On Sea)
  • Nuclear emissions from Hinkley point and Amersham International                        (Cardiff Bay)

High NORM rates in area also bring into question tollerability in conjunction with above factors.

Statistically higher cancer rates prior to reactors online- indicate that if there is indeed an increase that other factors are in play.

While any industrial process will have emissions to the environment, the statistical increase Prior to Hinkley Blows holes in the narrative that Hinkley Point is the Cause.

Stop Hinkley lack reason & Chris Busby is a charlatan,shock jockey and Fraud in the same league as Helen Caldicott.

While Hinkley Point may have some negative effects, these are irrelevant versus the benefit of not living in stone age and lifespan of 30 years old