BACKGROUND: Uranium mining is associated with lung cancer and other health problems among miners. Health impacts are related with miner exposure to radon gas progeny. OBJECTIVES: This study estimates the health costs of excess lung cancer mortality among uranium miners in the largest uranium-producing district in the USA, centered in Grants, New Mexico. METHODS: Lung cancer mortality rates on miners were used to estimate excess mortality and years of life lost (YLL) among the miner population in Grants from 1955 to 2005. A cost analysis was performed to estimate direct (medical) and indirect (premature mortality) health costs. RESULTS: Total health costs ranged from $2·2 million to $7·7 million per excess death. This amounts to between $22·4 million and $165·8 million in annual health costs over the 1955-1990 mining period. Annual exposure-related lung cancer mortality was estimated at 2185·4 miners per 100 000, with a range of 1419·8-2974·3 per 100 000. CONCLUSIONS: Given renewed interest in uranium worldwide, results suggest a re-evaluation of radon exposure standards and inclusion of miner long-term health into mining planning decisions.
BACKGROUND:Uranium mining is associated with lung cancer and other health problems among miners. Health impacts are related with miner exposure to radon gas progeny. OBJECTIVES: This study estimates the health costs of excess lung cancer mortality among uraniumminers in the largest uranium-producing district in the USA, centered in Grants, New Mexico. METHODS:Lung cancer mortality rates on miners were used to estimate excess mortality and years of life lost (YLL) among the miner population in Grants from 1955 to 2005. A cost analysis was performed to estimate direct (medical) and indirect (premature mortality) health costs. RESULTS: Total health costs ranged from $2·2 million to $7·7 million per excess death. This amounts to between $22·4 million and $165·8 million in annual health costs over the 1955-1990 mining period. Annual exposure-related lung cancer mortality was estimated at 2185·4 miners per 100 000, with a range of 1419·8-2974·3 per 100 000. CONCLUSIONS: Given renewed interest in uranium worldwide, results suggest a re-evaluation of radon exposure standards and inclusion of miner long-term health into mining planning decisions.
Authors: Vladimír Rericha; Michal Kulich; Robert Rericha; David L Shore; Dale P Sandler Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2006-06 Impact factor: 9.031
Authors: Alice M Shumate; Kristin Yeoman; Tristan Victoroff; Kandace Evans; Roger Karr; Tami Sanchez; Akshay Sood; Anthony Scott Laney Journal: J Occup Environ Med Date: 2017-08 Impact factor: 2.162
Authors: Meelan Thondoo; Daniel H De Vries; David Rojas-Rueda; Yashila D Ramkalam; Ersilia Verlinghieri; Joyeeta Gupta; Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-10-21 Impact factor: 3.390