Asse's inquiry will be continued

Inquiry committee for the nuclear waste disposal site Asse: Last witness examination started. Connection between nuclear waste storage and cancer remains unclear.

10/03/2011

In the state parliament of Lower Saxony today the last witness hearing of the committee of inquiry to the atomic waste storage Asse started. The investigation committee will also clarify whether there is a connection between the cancers of residents in the environment of aces or the leukemia diseases of former Asse miners with the dilapidated nuclear waste storage.

Just yesterday, the working group tasked with clarifying the increased number of cancers in the vicinity of the ailing nuclear waste disposal site of Asse had announced that further questioning of those affected would be necessary in order to be able to make a reliable statement. Today, the last witness hearings of the Committee of Inquiry for the atomic waste storage Asse have begun in the Lower Saxony state parliament.

Increased number of cancers in the aces environment
The excitement was great when the Epidemiological Cancer Registry of Lower Saxony (EKN) reported at the end of last year that the number of new cancer cases in the integrated municipality of Asse is well above the national average. In men, the number of leukemia cases was more than twice as high as the national average, with women tripling thyroid cancer, the EKN reports. Previously, the Committee of Inquiry in the Lower Saxony state parliament had dealt with the conditions in the dilapidated nuclear waste storage, where in addition to the false sometimes impermissible storage of nuclear waste and the cancer of former Asse miners were in the discussion. The competent Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) explained in this regard to the Committee of Inquiry that the radiation exposure in the nuclear waste store was too low to detectably cause cancer among the miners.

Cancers of Asse miners are not caused by radiation?
In a comprehensive study, the BfS investigated more closely a possible association between miners' cancer and radiation exposure after three Asse miners insisted on recognizing their leukemia as an occupational disease. In the context of the study the documents were evaluated since the beginning of the storage 1967 to 2008 with all data of approximately 700 Asse coworkers, explained Prof. Thomas Jung, department head at (BfS) opposite the news agency „dpa“. An average radiation exposure of twelve millisieverts (the permitted limit of 400 millisieverts) has been proven for a working life of the Asse miners, which speaks against a connection between the cancers and the radiation exposure. But with seven employees, the limit of 100 millisievert had been exceeded and it could „It can not be ruled out that in individual cases higher radiation exposure has occurred which has not been documented“, explained Prof. Jung. „We have to follow up on such individual cases in detail“, emphasized the expert on behalf of the BfS.

Problem Aces - Has done little
After yesterday's working group - despite a comprehensive survey of the population to their individual cancer risk - could make no contribution to the elucidation of the increased cancer rate in the environment of aces, may be doubted whether the Committee of Inquiry in the Lower Saxony Parliament comes here to groundbreaking results. For years, the dispute over the aces, but has done so far little. Even though politicians are now aware of the unsustainable conditions in the ailing nuclear waste storage facility, a solution must be found promptly, especially in the interests of the local population. (Fp)

Also read:
Cancer cases in the environment of aces still unclear
Coincidence of the aces cancer rate has not been proven
Ministry of the Environment: aces cancer rate pure coincidence
Leukemia risk due to ailing aces plant?

Image: Thorsten Bischoff