Since 1990, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has overseen a dose reconstruction study being done by Radiological Assessments Corporation. The Study went back and estimated the releases from the Fernald facility during its 38 years of operation - from 1951-1988. Then the study estimated what kind and size of dose the public (within 6.2 miles) may have been exposed to as a result of those releases.
The study results are expressed within ranges, with a high, low and median number. Between 300 and 400 tons of uranium were released to the environment with a median estimate of 340 tons (680,000 lbs.). However, it turns out that radon was the main contributor to the public's risk. This gas came primarily from the K-65 silos located along the western edge of the site. These releases were highest in the 1960s and 1970s. After 1979 the radon releases decreased significantly due to sealing up openings in the domes of the silos. Also of note is the fact that the radon emissions were further reduced in 1991 when the site installed a bentonite clay layer inside the silos. The total radon releases from 1952-1988 ranged from 110,000 curies to 230,00 curies with a median estimate of 170,000 curies. The study took into consideration all the ways that the public could be exposed to radiation, including the air, soil, water, vegetation, milk and food.
Your exposure depended on what years you lived in the area, how far away you lived and worked from Fernald, and what you ate and drank. The study could not tell an individual's exposure because everyone varies, but the study did calculate doses for nine hypothetical people that had varying exposures. By comparing your personal details to the one that comes closest to you, you can get a general idea of your exposure. You could also dig into the report to better understand what factors might pertain more to your personal situation. For instance, a person living 6 miles from the site had a median exposure about 1/10 that of someone living a mile from the site. In the case of the hypothetical person living on a farm for 38 years and receiving the highest doses, you could expect an increase of fatal cancer (mostly lung cancer) of beween 1 and 9% with a median of 3%. This means 3 out of 100 people who would theoretically receive the maximum dose that could cause a cancer death resulting from the emissions. That would be above and beyond the 20 or so out of the 100 that would get cancer due to other causes.
This study did not cover the workers at the plant who were exposed to much higher doses during the hours they were at work.
Well, you can't change your past exposures, but you can improve on your current and future exposures. If you smoke, try to stop. Because radon is also a natural substance that enters your home from the ground, you should consider testing your home to see what radon levels exist in your home. There are ways to reduce the levels in your home if your home should test high for this naturally-occurring radon and thus you would be reducing your future exposures. It should be noted that there have been homes in the area that have needed to take such measures. Also, discuss with your doctor whether you may be at increased risk for lung cancer so that your care will reflect that. Be aware of the signs of lung cancer - persistent cough, sputum streaked with blood, chest pain, and recurring pneumonia or bronchitis. While current doses from the Fernald site are much lower than during the production years and before improvements were make to the K-65 silos, you can check on the doses in the Site Environmental Monitoring Reports.
For more information about the Fernald Dosimetry Reconstruction Project, including fact sheets, summary booklets, and copies of the full reports, you can contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Radiation Studies Branch, Atlanta, GA (Phone: 404-639-3311).