Santa Susana Field Laboratory proximity linked to higher illness rates

A new study published in the journal Risk Analysis indicates that residents living near the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) in Ventura County, California, report higher rates of autoimmune, endocrine, and metabolic disorders. The research, led by Jenna Blyler of the University of California’s Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability, expanded upon previous studies that primarily focused on cancer risks within an 8-kilometer radius.

The SSFL operated for nearly six decades as a nuclear reactor and rocket testing site, experiencing several accidents, including a partial nuclear meltdown in 1959. These incidents resulted in the contamination of soil and groundwater with radioactive and chemical waste. The facility was designated a Superfund site in 1989.

Researchers surveyed 475 residents living up to 24 kilometers from the site. The findings showed that proximity to the facility is linked to increased illness; approximately 18 percent of those living within 8 kilometers reported autoimmune diagnoses, compared to 4 percent of those living between 18 and 24 kilometers away. The study population was noted as being relatively affluent, with 56 percent reporting annual household incomes of $100,000 or more.