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Date:         Sun, 22 Nov 1992 13:57:00 EST
From:         CATHYF@EARLHAM.BITNET
Subject:      Plutonium Problems

X-News: yang.earlham.edu earlham.ml.activ-l:9887
From: Rich Winkel <rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu>
Subject:PSR: Physicians Seek Ban on Plutonium Production
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1992 01:42:48 GMT
Message-ID:<01GRE7Q4CXH000100M@YANG.EARLHAM.EDU>

November 18, 1992

PHYSICIANS SEEK GLOBAL BAN ON PLUTONIUM PRODUCTION;
NEW BOOK CITES HEALTH, SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DANGERS;
URGES CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TO ADDRESS PLUTONIUM RISKS

WASHINGTON, DC -- The production and transportation of plutonium
should be banned because of health, environmental and security
dangers of the highly radioactive substance, according to a new
book published today.  Plutonium: Deadly Gold of the Nuclear Age
recommends that all military and civilian plutonium be treated as
highly radioactive waste and put under international controls.

        "Plutonium is one of the deadliest substances known --
        studies suggest that as little as a millionth of an ounce
        lodged in a lung will produce cancer with virtual
        certainty," explained Dr. Howard Hu, director of a special
        Commission of International Physicians for the Prevention
        of Nuclear War (IPPNW) that compiled the book.

        "Two new scientific papers published this year indicate
        that significant risks may be associated with even lower
        doses," Dr. Hu continued.  "Global controls are needed now
        to prevent further damage to human health.  President
        Clinton must make this a high priority."

        In addition to analyzing its health dangers, the book
        documents the security risks from plutonium and the
        options for nuclear warhead dismantlement. "The dangers of
        international trafficking in plutonium, of increased
        weapons proliferation, and of environmental contamination
        require that all plutonium production be stopped,"
        concluded Dr. Beth Bowen, an Atlanta physician and
        President of Physicians for Social Responsibility, U.S.
        affiliate of IPPNW.

        "Instead, we must immediately begin to deal with the
        hundreds of tons of plutonium from dismantled weapons.
        The Clinton Administration should swiftly begin
        U.S.-Russian negotiations on reciprocal, verified
        elimination of warheads and on storing plutonium and
        highly-enriched uranium under international or bilateral
        controls," urged Dr. Bowen.

        The book analyzes the problems of processing highly
        radioactive wastes and the difficulty in finding disposal
        sites for plutonium with a half-life of 24,000 years.
        "There is no good solution for these dangerous
        substances," said Dr. Bowen. "That is why it is imperative
        to stop producing more and work on minimizing the threat
        to future generations from the mess that we already have."
        "We encourage Mr. Clinton to help minimize the plutonium
        threat by challenging the Russians to match the U.S. halt
        in plutonium production and initiate negotiations for a
        worldwide agreement to end plutonium production for
        weapons purposes," she added.

        Dr. Bowen said that the reports findings suggest that
        remaining plutonium operations in Tennessee and South
        Carolina should be phased-out by the Clinton
        Administration:
"Nuclear arsenal reductions and the risks and costs of plutonium
operations should lead the new Administration to reduce funding
for the F and H plutonium separations plants at the Savannah River
Site and cancel existing Energy Department plans build a new, $3
billion, plutonium processing facility at Oak Ridge, Savannah
River, or another site in the next decade."

        Plutonium: Deadly Gold of the Nuclear Age also evaluates
        the risks of explosions and fires in tanks storing highly
        radioactive liquid plutonium wastes.  One such facility
        exploded in the region of Chelyabinsk in the Soviet Union
        in 1957 with disastrous consequences.  Several dozen tanks
        located at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington
        State and the Savannah River Plant in South Carolina pose
        similar risks, according to the authors.  There are also
        tanks containing plutonium production wastes at the Idaho
        National Engineering Lab, at West Valley, New York, near
        Buffalo, and in France and Britain.

        The book concludes with a recommendation for ending the
        secrecy that still surrounds plutonium production,
        especially its health and environmental effects.  Among
        its other recommendations:

        * treat plutonium as a hazardous waste rather than as a
        resource
        * stop plutonium transportation except for final storage;
        * solidify high-level radioactive wastes at current site;

        IPPNW says it will use the new book to launch a worldwide
        campaign to end the plutonium era.

        Funders of the study included the W. Alton Jones
        Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
        Foundation, the New-Land Foundation and the Simons
        Foundation of Vancouver.

- 30 -

Copies of Plutonium: Deadly Gold of the Nuclear Age may be
obtained by calling Lynn Martin at IPPNW (617) 868-5050.

** End of text from cdp:psr.bulletins **
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