Risk of Radiation Exposure to the General Public

Any exposure to the general population resulting from off-site releases of radionuclides (such as airborne radon decay products, airborne radioactive particles, and radium in water supplies) presents some health risk. People living near uranium mines and processing facilities could be exposed to airborne radionuclides (e.g., radon, radioactive dust) originating from various sources including uranium tailings, waste rock piles, or wastewater impoundments. Exposure could also occur from the release of contaminated water, or by leaching of radioactive materials into surface or groundwater from uranium tailings or other waste materials, where they could eventually end up in drinking water supplies or could accumulate in the food chain, eventually ending up in the meat, fish, or milk produced in the area.

Some of the worker and public health risks could be mitigated or better controlled if uranium mining, processing, and reclamation are all conducted according to best practices. A robust regulatory framework could help drive such a culture. Conversely, these potential health risks can be exacerbated by poor planning and design, inadequate regulation, and failure to adopt protective mining and processing methods. A mine or processing facility could also be subject to uncontrolled releases of radioactive materials as a result of human error or an extreme event such as a flood, fire, or earthquake. (Bold ours - RTR)

p. 19, National Academies of Science Uranium Mining in Virginia report