What are the health costs of uranium mining? A case study of miners in Grants, New Mexico

摘要

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 inthe 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 estimatedirect (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 tobetween $22.4 million and $165.8 million in annual health costs over the 1955-1990 mining period. Annualexposure-related lung cancer mortality was estimated at 2185.4 miners per 100 000, with a range of1419.8-2974.3 per 100 000.Conclusions: Given renewed interest in uranium worldwide, results suggest a re-evaluation of radonexposure standards and inclusion of miner long-term health into mining planning decisions.