Clean-up of Rongelap Island

[Andrew McEwan <Andrew@nrl.moh.govt.nz>]

Sandy Perle posted a news item on the proposal to clean-up Rongelap Island 
of Rongelap Atoll in the Marshall Islands -

"A massive cleanup operation has been
given the go-ahead on a tiny Pacific island rendered uninhabitable by
US nuclear testing after Washington provided funding of 8.3 million
dollars.
   Inhabitants of Rongelap island in the Marshalls chain fled ...."

The doses from residual fallout radioactivity on this "uninhabitable" island 
are less than 0.4 mSv per year (mean adult dose).  Studies of soil and plant 
concentrations on Rongelap Atoll indicate that for a "traditional" 
imported-foods-restricted diet, mean adult doses could marginally exceed 1 
mSv/y, most of the dose arising from Cs-137 in plants.  For current actual 
diets with rice and other staples replacing coconut to a considerable 
extent, doses are considerably lower (less than 0.4 mSv/y).  Application of 
potassium fertiliser would reduce annual doses below  0.2 mSv.

Natural radiation doses to residents are 2-3 mSv/y most of the dose arising 
from Po-210 in fish.

_________________________
Andrew C McEwan PhD
National Radiation Laboratory
PO Box 25-099
Christchurch, New Zealand

Ph 64 3 366 5059
Fax 64 3 366 1156
acmcewan@nrl.moh.govt.nz
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