Leukaemia in the vicinity of two tritium-releasing nuclear facilities: a comparison of the Kruemmel Site, Germany, and the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA

Abstract

In 1991, an increased rate of childhood leukaemia was reported from the small northern German community of Elbmarsch, which is located on the banks of the River Elbe opposite the Kruemmel nuclear power plant. Owing to the fact that the increase occurred six years after the start-up of the plant, radioactive discharges were suspected as being implicated in the development of the cases. Previous investigations have failed to identify any exposure which might be associated with the cluster. Nonetheless, concern regarding the increased tritium burden in the environment remains. To further assess the impact of tritium releases to the environment upon population cancer rates, the releases and leukaemia rates at the Savannah River site, USA, were compared with the Kruemmel site. Based on the data from 1991 to 1995, the incidence of childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of the Savannah River site was non-significantly less than expected compared with the significantly higher than expected rates close to the German plant. In contrast, tritium releases from the Savannah River site exceed those from the Kruemmel site by several orders of magnitude. The results of this observational study suggest that factors other than environmental tritium releases are associated with the increased number of leukaemia cases near the Kruemmel site.