Japan plans to test seafood daily for radioactive tritium after it controversially began discharging purified cooling water from the Fukushima nuclear ruins.
The fisheries authority wants to publish the test results within two days, the Japanese business newspaper Nikkei Asia reported on Friday. The water will be filtered before being dumped, which is expected to begin later this month.
However, the technical system cannot filter out the radioactive isotope tritium. The water must therefore be strongly diluted. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there is no danger to humans or the environment.
disasters in 2011
In 2011, an earthquake and tsunami caused a core meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The destroyed reactors still have to be cooled with water stored in tanks. More than 1.3 million tons are now stored there. According to operating company Tepco, space on the site is gradually running out.
In addition, long-term storage at the site threatens to hinder decommissioning work on the nuclear ruins. There is also the risk of leaks. The government therefore decided that the polluted water would be drained to the sea through a specially constructed tunnel of one kilometer in the Pacific Ocean. It is estimated that the dumping will take about 30 years.
Fishermen fear a drop in turnover
Neighboring countries such as China and local fishermen are opposed to the project. The fishermen fear a drop in turnover. According to Japanese media, the government promised the Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Cooperative Association in 2015 that it would not discharge the water without the consent of the parties involved. The government is therefore trying to provide clarity. The planned tests should also serve this purpose. According to Nikkei Asia, Japanese fishermen are voluntarily avoiding areas within ten kilometers of the nuclear ruins.
Impact on people and the environment “negligible”
Tepco wants to dilute the water so that the tritium concentration falls to about 1,500 becquerels per liter, which would be less than one fortieth of the national safety standard. Japan’s nuclear regulatory agency recently gave the green light. The International Atomic Energy Agency had previously approved the landfill plans. Japan complies with international safety standards. The effects on humans and the environment are “negligible”. Experts point out that nuclear power plants around the world routinely discharge contaminated cooling water into the sea.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
