science · 28 January 2000 · 25 years ago
In 2000, after decades of denial, a U.S. government study conceded that cancer and premature deaths of workers at 14 nuclear weapons plants since WW II were caused by radiation and chemicals. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said “This is the first time the government is acknowledging that people got cancer from radiation exposure in the plants.” Since the mid-1960's, ignoring epidemiological studies, the government had denied any such link. In Jul 1999, the government accepted that a lung disease of some workers was caused by breathing beryllium dust. President Clinton ordered a broader study of the effects of radiation and chemicals at nuclear weapons plants. He signed a compensation bill on 30 Oct 2000.
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