A USC study found that residents living close to the Santa Susana Field Lab, which included the communities of Chatsworth, Canoga Park, West Hills, Hidden Hills and Simi Valley, reported higher rates of autoimmune and endocrine or metabolic disorders than people living farther away.
Uncertainty over the health effects of contamination from the old nuclear facility has persisted for years.
Researchers interviewed 475 people living in a 15-mile radius of the former lab site.
With those living within five miles of the lab, 18% reported autoimmune disorders, compared to 4% in those living 11 to 15 miles away.
Endocrine and metabolic disorders showed a similar pattern, with 15% of residents within five miles reporting such conditions compared with 2% of those living 11 to 15 miles away.
Researchers cautioned that the findings show “an association” and do not necessarily establish a connection between the reported illnesses and contamination from the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
The Santa Susana Field Laboratory was used for rocket testing from 1949 to 2006 and nuclear reactor operations from 1953 to 1980. Radioactive and chemical contamination remains in the soil and groundwater.
The site was also the location of a partial nuclear reactor meltdown in 1959, which researchers characterized as the worst such incident in U.S. history. Although the property is eligible for Superfund cleanup, it has not been placed on the federal National Priorities List, leaving remediation under state and local oversight.
The study also identified possible associations with bladder, blood and thyroid cancers through previous investigations did not find significant increases in cancer.
Those who believed that the contamination was a threat and considered themselves vulnerable took more precautions like filtering tap water, leaving shoes at the door, avoiding home-grown produce and remaining indoors on windy days.
The USC study also looked at how residents in wealthier neighborhoods near Superfund sites respond to environmental health threats.
“We expected to see wealthier people take more actions to protect themselves given their greater capacity to cope and affect change,” lead author Jenna Blyler of USC’s Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability said. “Instead, fear of the contamination was what motivated protective action, rather than their perceived ability to manage the risks.”
The study: “Silver Spoons in Toxic Soups” was conducted by Jenna Blyler and USC researcher Joseph Arvai.
