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REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO EVALUATE THE RADIOLOGICAL HAZARijijWRESETTLEMENT OF THE BIKINI ATOLL The Committee was convened to consider the question of whether the Bikini Atoll is safe for human habitation with respect to the radiological hazard. The detailed history of the various relocations of the Bikini natives is described in the appended material provided by 14r. Tobin (Appendix II*o We have examined the documents listed in Appendix II. In addition, we spent one and one-half days in detailed discussions with members of the 1967 Bikini Survey Team and other -experts as shown in Appendix III. On the basis of the information provided, we have reached the following conclusions , 1. The exposures to radiation that would result from the repatriation of the Bikini people do not offer a significant threat to their health and 2. Such exposure may and should be further reduced by the ~ollowing-simple measures: Restrict rehabilitation for the present to the islands of the Bikini-Eneu complex. Establish the first village and immediate food crops on Eneu. No radiological precautions will be needed on Eneu because of its Any village construction on Bikini Island should involve the covering of the site with coral rock as is the local custom. Radioactive scrap metal should be removed from the islands adjacent to former shot sites. The population of land crabs should be sharply reduced because of their high content of If pandanus trees which produce edible fruit are planted on Bikini Island, two inches of topsoil should be removed from the planting sites. The area of removal from each site should be equal to the area covered by the crown of mature trees.
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3. Determinations should be made of body burdens of cesium 137 and strontium 90 at the end of the first year of residence on the Atoll and as appropriate thereafter. Baseline surveys prior to relocation would be desirable. Resurveys of environmental radiation levels on the Bikini Atoll and estimates of radionuclides in food should be made periodically. These surveys will provide a continual check of the radiation status of the people and environment and will help form a basis for decision as to the time of rehabitation of islands outside of the Bikini-Eneu complex. 4. Special efforts should be made to ensure a balanced and adequately nutritious diet. For example, a dietary supplement of powdered milk would materially reduce strontium 90 uptake by relieving the calcium deficiency usually associated with their John C. Bugher, Del Ray Beach, Florida, formerly Director of AEC’S Division of Biology and Medicine, now retired. Robert A. Conard, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, Charles L. Dunham, Chairman, Division of Medical Sciences of the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, John H. Harley, Director, Health and Safety Laboratory, Atomic Energy Commission, New York City. S. Allan Lough, Assistant Director for Radiological Physics of AEC’S Division of Biology and Medicine. John B. Storer, Deputy Director of AEC’S Division of Biology Paul Tompkins, Executive Director, Federal Radiation Council, Shields Warren, Scientific Director, Cancer Research Institute, New England Deaconess Hospital, Boston, Mass.
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*A limited number of copies of the appendices to the are available on request. They are: Bikini Atoll Survey 1967,” by Jack A. Tobin List of Doctients Examined” by Committee List of Members and Associates of the Map of Bikini Atoll ‘Brief Summary of the Radiological Status of Bikini Atoll,” by Philip F. Gustafson