Radioactive homes pose
rising threat, professor reveals
26 July, 2004 Taiwan News,
Staff Writer
More than 7,000 people over the past ten years have suffered health problems
as a result of living in buildings that
were constructed from radioactive material, and the numbers are increasing,
according statistics revealed yesterday.
Such buildings were erected with the use of steel beams that leak
radioactive emissions. According to the figures, females tend to be more
vulnerable to the harmful emissions than males, as are persons under the age
of 30.
In an address at an forum hosted by the Taiwan Association Against
Radioactivity, Professor Chang Wu-hsiu called attention to statistics for
the period 1983 and 2002 which showed that 4,000 people had been directly
affected, while another 3,000 were indirectly harmed as a result of residing
in radioactive buildings.
"I have learned that more than 100 people who lived in radioactive houses
developed cancer," Chang said, adding that he believed this was the because
of the radioactive environment in which they lived.
"In Japan, there have been no reports of women living in radioactive
buildings developing uterine cancer, but this phenomenon has occurred in
Taiwan, Chang said. "We are still examining the reasons for the occurrence,
but based on the evidence, women are more likely, under these circumstances,
to develop cancer than men. Also, persons under 30 residing in radioactive
houses, have a greater chance of contracting cancer," he disclosed.
To date, only private organizations have been pursuing the issue of people
being affected by radiation from buildings. According to Wang Yu-lin,
Chairman of the Taiwan Association Against Radioactivity Wang Yu-lin, this
is a very special area of concern in the international arena, and an
appropriate way of dealing with the problem is still being sought.
Expressing the view that the government is reluctant to help exposed
victims, Wang said that "if the government does not do it, then we will.
Meanwhile, the Taiwan Association Against Radioactivity is also urging the
Atomic Energy Council under the Executive Yuan to consider modifying the
related law on radioactive buildings so as to give some protection to
residents. The Atomic Energy Council has said that it will consider the
suggestion.
Around twelve years ago, some 157 residential buildings in Taipei were found
to be emitting radiation, causing 4,000 people be affected.