Bikini Atoll came to prominence because of the barrage of nuclear tests that hit it from 1946 to 1958. Together with the Enewetak Islands, the local populace was evacuated to prepare for the tests. 70 years after the first bombs fell, however, the almost 200 people who were displaced and their descendants still cannot go back to their homes because of high radiation levels.
All in all, 67 nuclear tests were conducted on these islands. However, one thing that scientists were completely not expecting was how long it would take to get radiation back to habitable levels.
Popsci reported that a study was conducted to find out just how high the current radiation levels are in the area. The study, led by Autumn Bordner of Columbia University’s Center for Nuclear Studies, was conducted in August of last year. The team travelled more than 1,000 miles in just two weeks from the Enewetak Atoll, Bikini Atoll and Rongelap Atoll. The readings from these islands were compared to the control island Majuro Atoll. Readings from Central Park were also included in the study.
What they found out is Enewetak Atoll has the lowest radiation at 7.6 mrem/y because of the cleanup efforts poured into the island over the decades. Rongelap has a bit higher levels at 19.8 mrem/y. Bikini Atoll, on the other hand, has an average of 184 mrem/y. Central Park and Majuro Atoll experience 13 and 19 mrem/y respectively.
Science News noted that the study also pointed to a disparity in the reports from the mid 1990’s that show levels closer to the area's 2015 levels. This is despite the fact that 20 years worth of decay was experienced between both reports.
The study includes this excerpt, “Our findings suggest that there is significant variation in the levels of external gamma radiation on the islands affected by the US nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands. Notably, Bikini Island is found to have radiation levels exceeding the agreement promulgated by the US and [Republic of the Marshall Islands] governments for safe habitation of Rongelap. This finding suggests that Bikini Island exceeds this standard and may not be safe for habitation. Islands on Rongelap and Enewetak Atolls are found to have external gamma radiation levels well below the RMI/US standard for safe habitation.”
