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July 10, 2017

Slightly higher cancer risk for nuclear worker

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20170710_23/

Japanese experts say one of 5 nuclear facility workers who were recently exposed to radioactive substances may have a slight elevated risk of developing cancer over 50 years.

The workers were exposed when a bag containing plutonium burst open at the Atomic Energy Agency's Research and Development Center, northeast of Tokyo, last month.

They are receiving medical treatment at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences in Chiba.

Institute officials say the internal exposure over 50 years for one of the 5 workers is estimated to be 100 to 200 millisieverts, with the risk of developing cancer increasing by about 0.5 percent.

For the remaining 4 workers, the institute does not project health problems.