Estimation of the cumulative cancer risk of female children attributable to radiocaesium in soil in an evacuation zone, prior to their return

The Fukushima Daiichi accident highlighted the difficulty in making good decisions regarding post-accident actions for the protection of members of the public. Discussions are continuing between the authorities and the residents about ‘how safe is safe’. Although governmental officials have argued that 20 mSv per year is a safe level of exposure, many residents have expressed strong doubts, and one of their major concerns is the greater health risk of radiation exposure for children. For settling this controversy, the author has demonstrated risk projections for cancer mortality of female children (0 to 18 years old) resulting from four different levels of radiocaesium deposits on the ground. The results showed that, for female children, the cumulative lifetime attributable risk of cancer mortality due to 18-years external radiation exposure from radiocaesium in soil would be 0.9% for (134)Cs and 2.4% for (137)Cs for an initial annual dose of 20 mGy/year; when the initial dose was 5 mGy/year, the cumulative lifetime cancer risk would be 0.2% and 0.6% for (134)Cs and (137)Cs, respectively. These results indicate the critical importance of accurate information about the composition and behavior of major radionuclides released to the environment, as well as precise dose monitoring and risk coefficients, for proper decision-making regarding protective actions for members of the public.