• US: Study finds cancer deaths more frequent near nuclear plants Researchers estimate approximately 115,000 cancer deaths during the study period may be connected to communities near nuclear facilities. • Could the solution to the climate crisis carry an invisible health cost? • A new study suggests a troubling pattern: US counties located closer to operational nuclear power plants (NPPs) have experienced higher rates of cancer mortality. • The research led by Harvard T.H. • Chan School of Public Health could complicate the argument for scaling up nuclear power. • “Our study suggests that living near a NPP may carry a measurable cancer risk-one that lessens with distance,” said senior author Petros Koutrakis, Akira Yamaguchi Professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation.
Article Summaries:
- A Harvard‑affiliated study examined U.S. counties from 2000‑2018 and found that residents living closer to operational nuclear power plants (NPPs) experienced higher cancer mortality rates. The analysis estimated about 115,000 cancer deaths-roughly 6,400 per year-could be associated with proximity to NPPs, with the strongest signal among older adults. Researchers used distance‑based modeling and adjusted for socioeconomic, demographic, and lifestyle factors, but did not incorporate direct radiation measurements or account for plant age and size. The authors caution that the findings show correlation, not causation, and call for further research on the health impacts of nuclear power.
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