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Public and Occupational Risks of the Nevada (USA) Test Site

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  • HERBERT INHABER

    (Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154 USA)

Abstract

The Nevada Test Site (NTS), north of Las Vegas, was the scene of hundreds of nuclear weapons tests over four decades, both above- and belowground. There is considerable interest, both in neighboring communities and elsewhere, in the risks it poses. Overall, the greatest risks are nonradioactive in origin, with occupational risks to employees and accident risks in transporting low-level nuclear wastes to the NTS from other Department of Energy (DOE) sites ranking highest. For radiation risks, that to workers handling radioactive materials is much higher than that to the surrounding population, either present or future. Overall, annual risks are small, with all fatalities approximately 0.008% of total Nevada deaths. At the NTS, the government spends about 5000 times more on radiation as opposed to nonradiation deaths. This suggests that at least some resources may be misallocated towards cleanup of public risks and that the occupational risk of cleanup may be much higher than the public risk. Thus risk may be multiplied by well-meaning programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Herbert Inhaber, 2001. "Public and Occupational Risks of the Nevada (USA) Test Site," Environmental Management, Springer, vol. 28(4), pages 505-517, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envman:v:28:y:2001:i:4:d:10.1007_s002670010240
    DOI: 10.1007/s002670010240
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