Unique health survey implicates Hinkley

A group of committed parents has conducted a unique doorstep survey of its own community and discovered appalling levels of cancer just five miles from Hinkley Point nuclear power station. A report analysing the responses of some 1,500 people shows cervical and kidney cancer at over five times the national average with four times the average leukaemia diagnoses and double the national rate for breast cancer.

The questionnaire survey was conducted by a group of Burnham residents called 'Parents Concerned About Hinkley' and analysed by Dr Chris Busby who, over the past two years, has found high cancer mortality in the town. This differs from all previous studies as it examines the number of people reporting cancer in a questionnaire.

The survey confirms Dr Busby's findings published two years ago (1) showing that breast cancer deaths in North Burnham electoral ward were double the national average. It also exposes other high cancer rates not available from the Office of National Statistics from which he drew his earlier conclusions.

Dr Busby said, "This is the first citizens' health survey of this sort in the UK and I applaud the group for their very hard work. They were forced to go down this road as the Health Authority refused to publish its figures. Now we see a picture confirming my fears that Hinkley discharges are responsible for severe health problems here. All the epidemiology points to that conclusion."

Dr Busby's work has been testing the hypothesis that radioactive particles discharged into the sea are deposited on the local mudbanks, blown downwind and inhaled by residents on a chronic basis, triggering the cancer. This theory is supported by the survey which shows over half of those diagnosed with cancer have hobbies involving the sea, eg water-sports or digging for bait on the beach. Out of ninety five people with cancer going back to 1989, forty-nine (52%) took part in sea connected activities.

Fourteen of the cancer group had outdoor jobs (15%) and twelve ate local fish or shell-fish regularly (thirteen per cent). Twenty per cent (20.7%) of the cancer sufferers were smokers, which is less than the twenty seven per cent average of smokers in the UK ('Action on Smoking' figures) or the 35 per cent of hospital cancer patients who are smokers.


The survey sponsors, Stop Hinkley, are currently campaigning against a new nuclear power station proposed for Hinkley and together with 'Parents Concerned About Hinkley' held an opinion poll in Burnham in January on the subject. Eighty three per cent of Burnham residents said they did not want another nuclear plant.

In a report from the DTI published in the New Scientist last week, the government has suggested compensating local communities for 'perceived disbenefits' of new nuclear build. Jim Duffy, the group's coordinator said, "We are certainly witnessing some severe disbenefits of living under a nuclear power station and the government should surely compensate these individuals and their families for shortening their lives. But a new power station must be completely off the agenda now. People prefer their health to any amount of money"

Jim is also concerned about the stance of local health officials. He had asked Somerset Health Authority at the start of the survey how many cases of leukaemia existed in Burnham and was told 'none' but the survey revealed four cases. He said, "Our distrust of the Health Authority cannot be overstated."

Dr Busby was recently shocked when, using the Data Protection Act, he uncovered internal health authority papers with Burnham cancer statistics. In an email, the health authority described a 'quick and dirty' study they had put together but had made a basic error leading to lower the apparent cancer risks. The population figures for the year 2000 were wrongly applied to a ten year study that ended in 1998. This according to Dr Busby falsely deflated the apparent cancer incidence due to the increase of both the general population and the elderly population giving a higher expectation of cancer.(2)"

He said, "The authorities now should meet with me and agree the terms of a study in which all parties can have confidence."

Dr Busby will announce the full findings of the survey and its implications in a public meeting at the Princess Hall in Burnham-on-Sea at 7.30pm on July 18th.

A demonstration will take place at 11am on the Saturdays either side of the public meeting on Burnham Beach to draw attention to health risks from the polluted shoreline.


Jim Duffy 01984 632109 M: 07968 975804 E:  stophinkley@aol.com
Stop Hinkley Coordinator
Chris Busby 01970 639315 E:  christo@cato5.demon.co.uk
Green Audit
Julie Gilfoyle 01278 794788 M: 07971 744372
Parents Concerned About Hinkley



Table 1: (correct on 11th July '02 in advance of the final report but subject to updating)

These preliminary results show cancer INCIDENCE not mortality. This gives a tighter correspondence to environmental causes and confirms the findings of local cancer mortality studies Dr Busby has undertaken over the past two years (1).

Cancer Findings Nos expected Relative Risk+ Significance*

Cancer incidence in a six year period from 1996-2001:
Kidney cancer 5 cases 1.26 3.96 poisson .01
Cervical cancer 3 cases 0.54 5.6 poisson .01
Breast cancer 16/17 cases 8.1 1.97 / 2.1 poisson .004
Leukaemia 4 cases 1.46 2.73 poisson .05

Cancer incidence over four years: 1998-2001
Kidney cancer 5 cases 0.84 5.95 p .001
Cervical cancer 2 cases 0.36 5.6 p .01
Breast cancer 9 cases 5.4 1.7 p .08
Leukaemia 4 cases 0.96 4.09 p .02

+ Relative risk or multiplier of national average, eg RR 5.6 means 5.6 times the national average or more accurately, times the expected number, weighted for age and other factors.
* Statistical significance is proportionally higher with a lower poisson factor, eg a poisson factor of .01 means 1 chance in 100 of this occurrence randomly. P .001 is one chance in a thousand.
All the above figures are statistically significant.

Table 2:
Figures for All Cancer diagnoses: The 'doorstep survey' showed a reduction going back in time, probably due to the death of those diagnosed in earlier years or their commitment to in-patient health care. For this reason the study examines only the last six years in detail.

Year: 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991
Cases: 15 12 8 8 10 7 6 4 2 4 3

1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1996-1971
1 3 0 3 1 4

Expected cases per year: 11.


(1) Dr Chris Busby, Breast Cancer and Proximity to Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station, April 2000. Green Audit, Aberystwyth.
(2) Call for fax copies of Health Authority internal email and regional press coverage.