Chronic Illness Climbs Closer to a Former Nuclear Site in California, Study Finds

University of Southern California researchers have studied how wealthy communities respond to a long-standing hazard near the former Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) in the hills northwest of Los Angeles, an unusual case since Superfund-type sites typically sit in lower-income areas. Rocket testing from 1949-2006 and nuclear reactor operations from 1953-1980 left radioactive and chemical waste at SSFL, including a 1959 partial meltdown considered the worst in US history. The site has been eligible for Superfund status since 2007 but remains unlisted on the National Priorities List, leaving cleanup to state and local authorities.

Earlier research found no significant increase in most cancers studied near SSFL, though bladder, blood and thyroid cancers were linked to living closer to the site, and a 1992 state report found cancer rates inconsistent with communitywide exposure despite data limitations. The new study, published in the journal Risk Analysis, surveyed 475 residents living within 15 miles of SSFL, of whom 56% earned $100,000 or more a year.

Illness tracked with distance from the site: 18% of residents within five miles reported autoimmune disorders, versus 4% of those 11-15 miles away; metabolic and endocrine disorders followed a similar pattern, 15% versus 2%. More than a third of residents reported at least one chronic diagnosis since moving to the area, a rate on par with the national rate of 38%, even though chronic illness is normally less common in high-income communities.

Lead author Jenna Blyler of the USC Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability said the researchers expected wealthier residents to take more protective action given their greater capacity to cope, but instead found that "fear of the contamination was what motivated protective action, rather than their perceived ability to manage the risks." The study is based on self-reported diagnoses collected at a single point in time and does not establish that contamination at SSFL caused the health conditions residents reported.