Cameco Corp. decided to clear the air for the Port Hope and District Chamber of Commerce board and Heritage Business Improvement Area executive members on results of a recent study of uranium contamination in a few municipal residents.

The company, which operates the processing plant in Port Hope, said at a meeting Tuesday night that local residents should not be concerned with the information released November 13 by the Port Hope Community Health Concerns Committee, with the help of the Uranium Medical Research Centre (UMRC), as the amount of uranium in the urine of study subjects is consistent with normal background levels. The same message was delivered to Port Hope council Tuesday night by Jack Cornett, Health Canada's director of radiation.

The testing is said to have detected uranium from both natural and man-made sources in four of the nine people tested.

"The measurements of the nine people tested fell within the range typical of what you'd find in Canada, the U.S. and other countries," said Dr. Cornett. "They are extremely low levels and well below any regulatory limits."

Uranium is a naturally-occurring material present in every human body at very low levels. Background concentrations of uranium in urine are highly variable. Tests of numerous subjects in the Ottawa area show a range of concentrations from three to 60 nanograms per litre (ng/L), stated a document prepared by Cameco's experts.

The testing found quantities of uranium in subjects' urine consistent with what you would find in people anywhere, said Bob Kelly, director of public and government affairs for Cameco's Fuel Services Division.

Cameco claims the study conducted by the UMRC consisted of nine subjects and two controls, with concentrations of uranium in the subjects' urine ranging from 2.1 to 24.8 ng/L, with a quoted background concentration of 7 ng/L. All of these results are within the expected range of natural exposure and are at levels about 1,000 times lower than the Ontario limit for uranium in drinking water.

Uranium concentrations in nanograms per litre for Ontario's drinking water standard is 20,000; the surface water discharge standard is 5,000; average in sea water is 3,300; and the high end of background in urine is 60.

UMRC tests, stated Cameco representatives, resulted in readings of 24.8 for high end of Port Hope urine, low end of Port Hope urine at 2.7, "High" U-236 in Port Hope urine at 0.000517, and "Low" U-236 in Port Hope urine at 0.000001.

The 236U isotope that the study claimed to have detected is not in sufficient quantity to cause any conceivable health effect from radiation or toxicity, based on internationally accepted scientific standards, stated the Cameco release.

They stated there is no evidence of health effects from exposure to radiation or chemicals used by nuclear processing operations at Port Hope. Numerous peer-reviewed studies have found Port Hope residents are as healthy as people anywhere else in Ontario, stated the release.

Since 1984 there have been eight published studies relating to the health of Port Hope residents carried out by reputable researchers and sponsored by government agencies. These peer-reviewed studies have looked at cancer and general mortality, the incidence of cancer and other diseases, and the health of workers at the uranium processing facilities in Port Hope between 1950 and 1999. None of these studies has identified any unusual incidence of cancer or other conditions associated with radiation exposure in the community. In fact, among workers at the Port Hope conversion facility, who are most likely to have the highest level of radiation exposure due to their jobs, there was no increased incidence of cancer or mortality. Further, the study of conversion facility employees suggests they are healthier than the general population. Copies of these health studies can be found at the Port Hope Public Library.

In its release, Cameco stated it conducts extensive monitoring of its employees, facilities and emissions to protect people and the environment. Results are reported to regulatory authorities on an ongoing basis.

Cameco stated it protects workers and local residents by assessing and controlling all potential chemical, radiological and physical health hazards from its operations. Cameco has a formal health and safety management system that ensures a standardized approach to managing health and safety issues. In addition, there is a joint employee/management health and safety committee. Cameco complies with all relevant regulatory and industry codes and practices for health, safety and environmental protection. All employees are required to wear dosimeters to monitor their radiation exposure. In addition, the company stated it conducts an ongoing urinalysis program to measure uranium and fluoride and all employees have deep lung analyses for uranium at least once a year. Depending upon occupation, annual or biannual physicals are required to identify any changes in employees' health. All results from the radiation monitoring program are reported to individual employees and regulatory authorities. They consistently show no unusual levels of health effects, says the release.