Doctors raise alarm over Jabiluka

Doctors raise alarm over Jabiluka

By Tracy Snook

A team of doctors from Sydney Children's Hospital on September 9 held a press conference opposing the Jabiluka uranium mine in Kakadu National Park.

The team was headed by Dr Helen Caldicott, founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility, and included Dr Michael Brydon, coordinator of the hospital's clinical services, Dr Rashmi Dixit and Dr Anne Smith.

Caldicott outlined uranium mining's local and distant medical and environmental consequences, emphasising the potential for cancer, leukaemia and genetic disorders epidemics as a result of exposure to radioactive isotopes released during all stages of uranium use.

Uranium miner Energy Resources Australia (ERA) has claimed to have the best workplace safety precautions. But according to Caldicott, ERA fails to systematically monitor and follow up former and current miners with any sort of epidemiological study.

Caldicott noted the failure at the Ranger uranium mine near the Jabiluka site — also run by ERA — to prevent frequent accidental leaks and run-off of contaminated water, and exposure of workers to toxic gas emissions and contaminated water supply.

Dr Smith condemned Senator Hill's dismissal of the safety and welfare concerns, scientifically supported and raised by experts, about the dangers of uranium mining worldwide.

Dr Brydon condemned the "short-term gain, long-term pain" of uranium mining, as he highlighted the effect of radioactive isotopes on the gene pool of future human and animal generations.

The event was co-organised by Chris Dolan, Wilderness Society Jabiluka campaign coordinator.

From GLW issue 290