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Health & Prevention Report: The science behind uranium mining's effects on the human body

By Lucas Brady Woods

Published October 28, 2021 at 10:38 AM MDT

The entrance to the last remaining uranium mill in the US, which sits about five miles from the community of White Mesa, UT.

From the 1940s to the 1980s, hundreds of uranium mills opened across the Southwestern US. Historically, the mills provided working-class jobs for the region, especially for tribal communities. But uranium and other heavy metals can be toxic, and many mill workers suffered as a result. Now, the only operating uranium mill left in the US sits just a few dozen miles from Montezuma County, in Southeast Utah. On this week's Health & Prevention Report, KSJD's Lucas Brady Woods talks to Dr. Ed Razma, pulmonologist at Southwest Health System, to get a better idea of what uranium contamination can actually do to a person's health.

Health and prevention reporting on KSJD is made possible with the support of Celebrating Healthy Communities, the Montezuma County Health Department, and Southwest Health System.

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Lucas Brady Woods

Lucas is the News Director for KSJD Community Radio. His work focuses on serving the public of the Four Corners with responsible, factual reporting.

See stories by Lucas Brady Woods

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