By Professor John Robertson
Yesterday, in the Philly Voice, USA:
People living near active nuclear power plants are advised to have potassium iodide, or KI, tablets on hand in case of a radiological emergency.
KI is an over-the-counter medication that protects the thyroid from absorbing nuclear radiation. The Pennsylvania Department of Health is offering free KI tablets to people who live within 10 miles of the Limerick Generating Station in Limerick Township, Montgomery County, on Wednesday, June 12.
Radioactive iodine released into the environment during a nuclear accident may be absorbed by the body, increasing the chance of thyroid cancer. Saturating the thyroid with stable, or non-radioactive, iodine before or at the outset of an exposure through the use of KI tablets prevents the thyroid gland from absorbing or storing the radioactive iodine.
“Ensuring medications on hand are kept up to date is an important part of protecting your health,” acting Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen said. “Radiological emergencies are rare, but it is important for potentially affected Pennsylvanians to have unexpired tablets on hand.”
From the peer-reviewed research journal, Environment International in 2015:
“However, sensitivity analysis by exposure definition showed that living less than 20 km from nuclear power plants was associated with a significant increase in the risk of thyroid cancer in well-designed studies.”
From the Morning Star in May 2024:
The next Labour government must drop Tory plans for new nuclear in Scotland, the Scottish Greens have demanded.
Green climate change spokesman Mark Ruskell MSP laid down the challenge just days after Tory Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, told the House of Lords constitution committee that plans for new reactors were being drawn up.
“I believe in 2026 we’ll see a unionist regime again in Holyrood, and they will move forward on that matter,” he said.
Now Mr Ruskell has written to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who has shown support for new nuclear in the past, to remind him that Labour’s administration in Holyrood blocked the then Labour prime minister Tony Blair’s plans for new reactors.
Sources:
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/labour-must-rule-out-new-nuclear-say-scottish-greens
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Ah but Brian Wilson tells us these ‘modern’ mini nuclear plants are safe and essential for cronies of his in the enrgy industry to make profits.
Alasdair Macdonald
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They don’t care at all do they. Childhood cancers would no doubt rise as well. Brian Wilson, all bluff and bluster. He is a ‘journalist, (ex) politician, and business man’. The ‘right honourable’, these people are anything but ‘honourable’.
He even said, ”it is the job not only of private interests or trade bodies but also of the Scottish Government to make sure that Ministers in Whitehall who will be making the relevant decisions are not unsighted on matters that are important to Scotland”. Good luck with that one, that ship has sailed and sunk to the bottom of the deep brown English sea.
https://www.energyvoice.com/opinion/346928/brian-wilson-serious-decisions-await-on-future-of-scottish-energy-sector/
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Stanford Report May 30th 2022
https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2022/05/small-modular-reactors-produce-high-levels-nuclear-waste#:~:text=Radiotoxicity,radiation%20from%20spent%20nuclear%20fuel.
The new study found that, because of their smaller size, small modular reactors will experience more neutron leakage than conventional reactors. This increased leakage affects the amount and composition of their waste streams.
“The more neutrons that are leaked, the greater the amount of radioactivity created by the activation process of neutrons,” Ewing said. “We found that small modular reactors will generate at least nine times more neutron-activated steel than conventional power plants. These radioactive materials have to be carefully managed prior to disposal, which will be expensive.”
JB
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