{"id":1632,"date":"2023-11-15T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/shinsori.me\/?p=1632"},"modified":"2023-11-15T20:59:24","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T20:59:24","slug":"nuclear-fallout-reached-46-states-reca-should-expand-opinion-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/shinsori.me\/index.php\/2023\/11\/15\/nuclear-fallout-reached-46-states-reca-should-expand-opinion-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear fallout reached 46 states. RECA should expand | Opinion"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"AP450716057.jpg\"<\/p>\n

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This photo, made by a U.S. Army automatic newsreel camera, shows the test explosion of the world\u2019s first atomic bomb at Alamagordo, N.M., on July 16, 1945. The test, known as Trinity, of the plutonium bomb capped a $2 billion effort, unprecedented in those times.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/span><\/p>\n

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Associated Press<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act<\/a>, or RECA, has been a lifeline for individuals who suffered from radiation exposure during the Cold War. However, it\u2019s time to expand and extend RECA to cover more victims. A recent study<\/a> revealed that nuclear testing fallout reached 46 states, including all of Utah. The need for expansion is evident.<\/p>\n

RECA was established in 1990 to provide monetary compensation to those who developed serious illnesses due to radiation exposure from nuclear testing and uranium mining. It was a response to the devastating health impacts faced by downwinders, Navajo Nation members and other affected individuals. The initial scope of RECA covered uranium miners, millers, ore transporters, \u201cOnsite Participants\u201d at nuclear tests and \u201cDownwinders.\u201d However, this scope is limited, leaving out many affected individuals in Utah and beyond.<\/p>\n

Radiation exposure is a threat from both natural and man-made sources. Man-made sources, such as nuclear testing and nuclear power plants, release radioactive materials with long lifespans. This exposure can damage the DNA in living cells, leading to cancers and other health issues. <\/p>\n

Recent research also suggests that radiation may affect children and pregnant women more severely. According to some researchers,<\/a> women and children experience significantly more harm than men from cancers due to radiation exposure. It\u2019s been long researched that children are at greater risk of cancers and illnesses as the result of genetic defects from radiation exposure due to the nature of growing bodies and concentration of exposure.<\/p>\n

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