It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s uranium! In Metropolis, Ill., the self-proclaimed hometown of Superman, union workers are on strike against Honeywell’s uranium conversion plant, claiming that their occupational exposure to uranium and to hydrofluoric acid has contributed to a higher risk of cancer.
Peter Dalpe, a spokesman for Honeywell, rejects these allegations:
As spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Roger Hannah agrees. “At this point, we’re satisfied they’ve met all safety regulations, and that they have a continued emphasis on safety.”
“It’s not uncommon for people to think that they live in a ‘cancer alley’ like somewhere in New Jersey or the Gulf Coast. Just because they know people who have cancer, they feel as though they’re at an increased risk too, but this is completely unfounded and rests on no sound scientific data,” says ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross.
