In rare earth processing plant which generates a lot of Alpha emitters or particles . These Alpha emitting particles cannot penetrate the skin like gamma radiation can, but rather are internalized through inhalation or swallowing or through cuts in the skin. These particles don’t give off a large amount of radiation, but if they lodge in the body they continue to expose a small number of cells 24 hours a day often for the rest of a person’s life. This can result in cancers and immune disorders that develop later in life, sometimes a few years, sometimes after one or several decades. Since the operation of rare earth ,such factory will deposite large amounts of alpha emitters across a large area, this is the primary danger to those living in the contaminated areas. It is disingenuous when rare earth industry apologists say things like “no one died at Bukit merah rare earth factory ” since they are well aware that for most of the people who will eventually get sick this process will take time. At balok , kuantan , We are currently in the latency period for these illnesses, a point now missed by rare earth industry PR people.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 11:23:54 +0000