Latest news with #RECA
New York Post
6 hours ago
- Health
- New York Post
Higher cancer rates linked to WWII waste in Midwestern creek
A Missouri creek has allegedly led to a higher risk of cancer in neighboring residents. Coldwater Creek, a Missouri River tributary north of St. Louis, has been a known radioactive waste site since the 1980s. Researchers have now confirmed that exposure to the creek, which is said to be polluted with nuclear waste from the development of the first atomic bomb, has led to an increased incidence of cancer for people who were children in the area between the 1940s and 1960s. A study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which was published in JAMA Network, analyzed the data of 4,209 participants who lived near Coldwater Creek. The data was originally gathered for a previous study on childhood radiation exposure. Participants who lived in the Greater St. Louis area between 1958 and 1972 shared their cancer diagnoses, which allowed researchers to calculate risk based on their proximity to the creek. 4 Researchers have now confirmed that exposure to the Coldwater Creek has led to an increased incidence of cancer for children in the area between the 1940s and 1960s, due to nuclear waste. AP The researchers found an elevated risk of cancer in a long-term follow-up, with those who lived closest to the creek reporting a higher incidence of most cancers. 'The waste from these entities could have huge impacts on people's health, even at lower levels of exposure.' In total, 24% of study participants reported having cancer. Of those, 30% lived less than one kilometer away from the creek, 28% lived between one and five kilometers away, 25% lived between five and 20 kilometers away, and 24% lived more than 20 kilometers away. 4 Susie Gaffney poses for a photo along Coldwater Creek near where she used to live Friday, April 7, 2023. AP 4 24% of study participants reported having cancer, and 30% of that percentage lived less than one kilometer away from the creek. REUTERS Corresponding author Marc Weisskopf, professor of environmental epidemiology and physiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, commented on these findings in a press release. 'Our research indicates that the communities around North St. Louis appear to have had excess cancer from exposure to the contaminated Coldwater Creek,' he said. 'These findings may have broader implications — as countries think about increasing nuclear power and developing more nuclear weapons, the waste from these entities could have huge impacts on people's health, even at these lower levels of exposure.' This study accompanies Congress' passing of an expanded version of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), as part of President Trump's Big Beautiful Bill. The act will allow Americans, including Coldwater Creek residents, to receive compensation for medical bills associated with radiation exposure, the researchers noted. 4 This study accompanies Congress' passing of an expanded version of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, which would allow Americans to receive compensation for medical bills associated with radiation exposure. AP Local agencies have become increasingly concerned about cancer prevalence in the area, prompting the push for further research beyond the U.S. government's acknowledgment of the pollution four decades ago. The contamination originally occurred due to the Manhattan Project and Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, which processed and refined uranium in St. Louis, according to the study. The radioactive material was moved out of the major U.S. city and into the more rural area near Coldwater Creek, where it was stored in uncovered drums on the ground and exposed to the elements, allowing contaminants to leach into the nearby creek. The researchers noted that communities downstream from Coldwater Creek had potentially been exposed to the ionizing radiation during recreational activities, such as playing in the creek, and residential activities, like breathing in dust suspended from the soil when gardening. The study did have some limitations, the researchers acknowledged, including its small sample size and reliance on self-reported cancer outcomes. The potential carcinogenic impact of creek exposure warrants further research to confirm the findings, the team concluded. Co-author Michael Leung, PhD, post-doctoral research fellow at Harvard's Department of Environmental Health, reflected on the findings in an interview with Fox News Digital. 'Our study found that children in the 1940s to 1960s who lived near Coldwater Creek, which was contaminated by radioactive waste from the development of the first atomic bomb, had a 44% higher risk of cancer compared to those living further than 20 kilometers away,' he confirmed. 'Our findings coincide with Congress passing an expanded version of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, and gives further credence to the health concerns of St. Louis area-residents about the contaminated creek,' Leung went on. 'We hope these findings will support public health measures for affected communities, as well as ongoing efforts to remediate the creek.'
Calgary Herald
12 hours ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Calgary real estate fraud leaves dozens of investors fighting to recover millions
Article content 'Mr. Hare has defended and continues to dispute the serious allegations made against him in the Action, which has not yet proceeded to the discovery phase,' Hare's lawyer said in an email. 'Our client is confident that a just resolution will be reached in the Action going forward.' Article content The managing broker declined to comment on ongoing litigation and emphasized that neither he nor Re/Max Central was named in the civil suit. Article content Re/Max Central was long considered one of the top-performing Re/Max offices globally. According to the company's website, the brokerage consistently ranked among the leaders in sales both in Canada and internationally. Article content In a statement, Re/Max said Drinkwater has not been affiliated with the brand since April 2024. Article content 'The actions alleged are not representative of the values and principles upheld by REMAX and its franchisees and their affiliated sales associates. The REMAX network shares and honours a commitment to professionalism and honesty,' Re/Max said in an email. The company did not comment on allegations against Hare. Article content Article content Meanwhile, the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) is facing mounting criticism from victims and industry leaders over its handling of Drinkwater's case, which they say raises questions about the industry watchdog's ability to fulfil its mandate to protect consumers. Article content Several victims allege the regulator has tried to distance the fraud from the real estate industry to avoid paying out claims through its Consumer Protection Fund. They accuse the regulator of pushing Drinkwater to characterize the fraudulent investments as unrelated personal loans. Article content RECA declined to comment on those claims, citing ongoing proceedings. Article content 'We're very limited in what we can say at this time,' a RECA spokesperson said in a May 15 email to Postmedia. 'Like other regulatory or judicial processes, we want to ensure our actions don't impact the independent hearing process or jeopardize victims' rights.' Article content Making a claim to the Consumer Protection Fund is the only path to recover losses for many victims, who say the process to apply is unclear and costly. Article content Several victims who spoke to Postmedia asked not to be identified, citing concerns it could affect their claims with the regulator. Article content One victim said she turned over hundreds of pages of evidence pertaining to the scheme to the regulator, who later told her in an email there were still 'gaps' in her file. Article content Article content Shelley Todd initially felt hopeful after reporting to the regulator, believing its process would bring a just resolution for victims — but that hope quickly disappeared, she said. Article content 'RECA's requirements for accessing the assurance fund are complicated — close to impossible without legal representation,' she said. 'Luckily, my lawyer has shown compassion with regard to legal fees, but it's still costing me a significant amount to meet RECA's requirements.' Article content Todd says mounting legal fees are a barrier for victims to access payment from the fund. Article content 'It feels like the regulator is re-victimizing us,' she said. 'It's so expensive and it causes more hardship.' Article content Her lawyer echoed those concerns, noting the legislation meant to provide consumer protection instead forces defrauded victims to pursue costly litigation before they can access the fund. Article content 'The process to get to consumer protection ends up being impractical for most people and a significant and costly barrier,' said Ben Frenken, a partner at Code Hunter LLP, in a statement. Article content Article content Brad Mitchell, CEO of the Alberta Real Estate Association, criticized the regulator for what he called serious regulatory failures exposed by the Drinkwater case. His association represents and advocates for more than 15,000 Realtors across Alberta. Article content 'The regulator has absolutely failed in its mandate … to detect, suppress and prevent fraud in the industry,' he said, calling for 'wholesale changes' at the regulator to restore public trust. 'They're not fulfilling their sole purpose. Article content 'What is the point of even having a regulator if they are not going to act?' he said. 'If the courts are always forced to rule before the regulator does something, then it begs the question, what do we need a regulator for? Article content 'This was a completely preventable scenario,' he added. 'It really is a black mark on the industry.' Article content For victims, the path to justice remains uncertain. Article content The regulatory process has been slow, with no decision yet on possible sanctions. Meanwhile, the criminal case against Drinkwater is still in its early stages. Article content He was to appear in court on June 11 on the fraud charge, but his hearing was adjourned to August 11. He has yet to enter a plea. Article content After being betrayed by the Realtor she trusted and let down by the system meant to protect her, Shelley Todd is now focused on helping others navigate the aftermath of the scheme. Article content 'I have compassion for Eric, but I'm on the side of justice,' she said. 'We've been traumatized by this. So many victims feel shame, believing this was their fault.' Article content For Todd, the fight is no longer just about recovering her losses. She's spent countless hours helping others prepare their claims to the Consumer Protection Fund and continues to push for broader accountability.
Business Journals
6 days ago
- Health
- Business Journals
Direct link found between Coldwater Creek and cancer rates, Harvard researchers say
A newly released study by a team of researchers at Harvard University appears to show a direct correlation between radioactive material in Coldwater Creek and increased cancer rates. After years of fighting for answers as to how Coldwater Creek impacted the lives of the people around her Just Moms STL co-founder Dawn Chapman admits it's bittersweet news. 'We need to be able to look each other in the St. Louis region and say there are no more exposures happening,' Chapman said. 'I don't think we can say that today.' GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events Researchers studied more than 300,000 baby teeth collected for the St. Louis Institute-Later Life Health study between 1959 and 1970. 'It gives us little fossil record as to what they were exposed to back in those early days,' said Marc Weisskopf, professor of environmental epidemiology and physiology at Harvard's School of Public Health. Weisskopf and his research team were able to determine that while roughly 24% of people in the St. Louis region will develop cancer the rates near Coldwater Creek are much higher. 'People really close to the creek, within a kilometer, were about 40% more likely to have cancer at any sort,' Weisskopf said. 'If you focus on those that are considered more radiosensitive they were about 85% more likely to have cancer.' Weisskopf said he's already applying for grant funding for a second, more intensive study of the contamination in Coldwater Creek. 'We can actually use those teeth and measure the remnants of that long-ago radiation that were in the teeth, and get much more precise about this and say not just, 'Did you happen to live close to the teeth?' but, 'What level of radiation is in your tooth, and what is your risk of cancer later on,' said Weisskopf. Chapman said the study is a call to action for more extensive testing and cleanup to be done in the Coldwater Creek area. "We need to get out there and clean Coldwater Creek up in two to five years,' Chapman said. 'No more of this slow-paced business. Now that we have RECA it's time to stop the exposures, so that we don't need it ongoing." Just last week, Congress expanded the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) to people in north St. Louis County. If you live near Coldwater Creek, there is a town hall next Thursday, July 24, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the James Eagen Gymnasium in Florissant to discuss the help available. Go here for KSDK's full report. The St. Louis Business Journal contributed to this report.
Newsweek
16-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Atomic Waste Left Kids From This US Town At Greater Cancer Risk
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new study has shed light on a shocking radiation-related health risk in Missouri. According to the research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, children who lived near Coldwater Creek— a tributary of the Missouri River north of St. Louis— during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s faced an elevated risk of cancer due to pollution from nuclear waste associated with the development of the first atomic bomb. The findings, according to the researchers, validate long-standing concerns voiced by community members. The study's publication coincides with Congress having passed an expanded version of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), as part of the Trump tax bill, which will allow Americans, including residents near Coldwater Creek, to receive compensation for medical bills related to radiation exposure. Radioactive waste barrels. Radioactive waste barrels. vchal/Getty Images Low-Level Radiation Impacts Most previous studies on radiation exposure have concentrated on individuals with very high levels of exposure, such as atomic bomb survivors. However, much less is understood about the health impacts of lower levels of radiation, which the new study aims to address. Researchers used a subsample of 4,209 participants from the St. Louis Baby Tooth–Later Life Health Study (SLBT), which included many individuals who lived near Coldwater Creek as children and began donating their baby teeth in 1958 to measure radiation exposure from atmospheric nuclear testing. The participants' self-reported cancer incidences allowed researchers to calculate cancer risk based on their proximity to Coldwater Creek in their youth. The study's findings revealed a dose-response effect, meaning, individuals living closest to the creek exhibited a higher risk for most cancers compared to those residing farther away. Out of the 4,209 participants, 24 percent of the study population reported having cancer—higher among those living nearer to the creek. Specifically, 30 percent of those living less than 0.6 miles away reported cancer, compared to 28 percent for those 0.6–3.1 miles away, 25 percent for those 3.1–12.4 miles and 24 percent for those more than 12.4 miles away. Among those that lived less than 0.6 miles away from the creek, the risk of developing solid cancers was 52 percent higher. For radiosensitive cancers, which include thyroid, breast, leukemia and basal cell cancers, the risk rose to 85 percent higher. "When comparing those living around the creek or its those living further than 20 km [12.4 miles] away, the association with cancers known to be radiosensitive during childhood was stronger than that of nonradiosensitive cancers," the researchers wrote in their study. They concluded that the findings "suggest that childhood residential proximity to Coldwater Creek is associated with an increased risk of cancer, likely through radiation exposure associated with the creek." The implications of the study are timely given growing global discussions around nuclear power and development. Paper author and environmental epidemiologist professor Marc Weisskopf, said in a statement: "As countries think about increasing nuclear power and developing more nuclear weapons, the waste from these entities could have huge impacts on people's health, even at these lower levels of exposure." Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about radiation? Let us know via health@ Reference Leung, M., Tang, I. W., Lin, J. J. Y., Mucci, L., Farmer, J. G., McAlaine, K., Mangano, J. J., & Weisskopf, M. G. (2025). Cancer Incidence and Childhood Residence Near the Coldwater Creek Radioactive Waste Site. JAMA Network Open, 8(7).
Axios
10-07-2025
- Health
- Axios
Trinity Test-area residents to finally get reparations 80 years later
New Mexicans impacted by the Trinity Test are getting closer to receiving compensation after eight decades of health problems and rare cancers stemming from the world's first atomic explosion. The big picture: President Trump's recently signed the "big, beautiful bill," which includes an extension of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) and, for the first time, covers victims of the Trinity Test. The inclusion comes after the victims fought for acknowledgement and reparations over multiple generations. It also comes before the 80th anniversary of the Trinity Test, which is next week. Zoom in: Under the extension and inclusion, Trinity victims can apply for $100,000 for damages caused by the 1945 bomb test that helped end World War II. RECA, which awarded financial reparations to people who lived downwind of the Nevada Test Site, ended last year but has now been renewed for two years thanks to pressure from Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) The law was originally passed in 1990, but Hispanic residents and Mescalero Apache tribal members, who were next to the 1945 Trinity Test, were never included. Descendants have suffered from rare cancers for generations. Yes, but: The recently passed legislation gutting Medicaid covers many residents in New Mexico, including Trinity victims. The RECA expansion also does not include eligibility for people near Nuclear testing in the U.S. territory of Guam, parts of Arizona, Montana, Colorado and new parts of Nevada. What they're saying: "The two-year extension will not be long enough for us to get everybody enrolled that should be enrolled, and the health care coverage was stripped out," Tina Cordova, co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, said on a call with reporters Thursday. Cordova said she was still grateful and relieved New Mexicans were finally added and that her group will continue to fight for Medicaid restorations. Luján said he's hopeful that his Republican colleagues in the Senate will work with him to reserve some of the Medicaid cuts. "I want to recognize the leadership of Sen. Hawley when we had a chance to begin working on this over the last couple of years." Context: On July 16, 1945, in the New Mexico desert, the U.S. Army detonated an atomic bomb developed at the then-secret community of Los Alamos as part of the World War II-era Manhattan Project. The bomb exploded at 5:29am, and its thunderous roar knocked people from breakfast tables in the historic Hispanic village of Tularosa and sent Mescalero Apache Reservation residents into hiding. Following the test in the Jornada del Muerto desert near Alamogordo, residents often picnicked at the site and took artifacts, including the radioactive green glass known as "trinitite." Residents only learned about the Trinity Test after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. The bomb's aftermath later caused rare forms of cancer for many of the 30,000 people and their descendants in the area surrounding Trinity. Poor Hispanic residents and Mescalero Apache tribal members held bake sales to pay for cancer treatments. The intrigue: Downwinders received renewed public interest in 2023 following the release of the blockbuster "Oppenheimer," directed by Christopher Nolan. The movie follows American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer as his team races to create the atomic bomb, but it overlooks the aftermath on the people of New Mexico. What we're watching: The U.S. Justice Department is advising the public to wait "for further guidance" before filing a claim, noting on its website that the bill was only recently signed into law.
