As the Nova Scotia government reopens the door to uranium exploration and mining, physicians across the province continue to raise the alarm. Unlike other minerals, uranium is both chemically toxic and radioactive. It decays into even more dangerous elements including radon, a cancer-causing gas responsible for over 100 deaths a year in Nova Scotia alone.

Learn More and Spread the Word

CAPE Nova Scotia has created the following factsheets to inform the public about the risks of uranium mining in Nova Scotia. They are available to download and distribute:

• The Health Risks of Uranium Exploration and Mining in Nova Scotia
  
• Nova Scotia Physicians Respond to Industry Claims of Safe Uranium Mining

Key Problems with Uranium Mining in Nova Scotia 

Serious and Long-Term Health Impacts

Disturbing uranium deposits through exploration or mining increases public exposure to radon and radioactive materials through groundwater, air, crops, and food chains. The health impacts of uranium and radon exposure are serious: kidney failure, DNA damage, infertility, cancers (especially lung, breast, thyroid, and bone), premature aging, birth defects, low birth weight, and even increased infant mortality.

Women and Children Face Greater Harm

Radiation does not affect everyone equally. Children are particularly vulnerable, with girls twice as likely as boys to develop cancer after early exposure. Adult women also face significantly higher cancer rates than men. During pregnancy, exposure to uranium and radon increases the risk of birth defects (especially of the brain and spine), low birth weight and premature birth and increased infant mortality. These risks cannot be engineered away. They are inherent to uranium exploration and mining.

In Nova Scotia, Uranium Mines are in our Backyard

Industry voices say Nova Scotia can follow Saskatchewan’s example. But Saskatchewan’s uranium mines are remote at 600 km from any population centre. Nova Scotia is small, densely populated, and has far higher precipitation, making contamination risks far greater. Radon, meanwhile, travels invisibly through air and water, and even small disturbances in uranium deposits can increase its spread.

Keep the Ban in Place

The science is clear. The health risks are real. And the benefits are illusory. The safest place for uranium is underground. That’s why Nova Scotia physicians are calling on the government to keep uranium underground where it belongs. The risks to human health, especially for women, children, and future generations—far outweigh any speculative economic gain.