Radiation From Japan Continues To Reach West Coast
RENO, Nev. (CBS/AP) -- Minuscule amounts of radiation from Japan's damaged nuclear plant continue to reach the West Coast, including California, but scientists say it poses no health risk.
Ted Hartwell of the Desert Research Institute's Community Environmental Monitoring Program says extremely small amounts of the radioactive isotopes iodine-131 and zenon-133 had reached a Las Vegas monitoring station this week.
He says he's certain the isotopes came from Japan because they're not usually detected in Nevada, but the readings were far below levels that could pose any health risks.
Minuscule amounts of radiation from Japan have been reported elsewhere in California, Colorado, Hawaii and Washington.
Nevada state health officials have said they do not expect any risk to Nevada from Japanese radiation releases because of the distance the materials would have to travel.
(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)
