Japan has started dumping filtered and diluted cooling water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. Despite great concerns among fishermen and neighboring countries such as China, Tepco has channeled the first batch of treated water into a one-kilometer tunnel being built for this purpose in the Pacific Ocean. Protests broke out in Japan, China and South Korea.
A group of citizens demonstrated near the nuclear power plant on Thursday with banners and chants against the dumping of about 1.34 million tons of cooling water into the Pacific Ocean. China also reacted angrily: “The forced release into the ocean is an extremely selfish and irresponsible act that disregards the global public interest,” said a statement from the foreign ministry in Beijing. Japan has become a “saboteur of the ecological system and a polluter of the global marine environment,” the report said. In the South Korean capital Seoul, protesters tried to storm the Japanese embassy.
There is almost no room left for stored cooling water
In March 2011, a massive earthquake and subsequent massive tsunami triggered meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Since then, the reactors have had to be cooled with water stored in more than 1,000 tanks – now that is more than 1.3 million tons. But now, according to Tepco, space for the tanks is running out. In addition, long-term storage at the site threatens to hinder decommissioning work on the nuclear ruins. Leaks can also occur. Dumping the huge amounts of water is expected to take about 30 years. The contaminated cooling water is treated before being released into the Pacific Ocean, but the filtration system is unable to filter out the radioactive isotope tritium.
Tepco therefore dilutes the water with seawater to such an extent that the tritium concentration drops to 1,500 becquerels per litre, which, according to the operator, is less than a fortieth of the national safety standard. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had approved the dumping, saying Japan met international safety standards. The effects on people and the environment are ‘negligible’.
Fisheries Authority wants to inspect seafood daily
But the Japanese people, as well as the peoples of China and South Korea, do not trust this information and are concerned. Japan’s Fisheries Agency plans to test seafood for radioactive tritium every day for the next four weeks. The test results must be published within two days. Samples will be taken from two locations within a six-mile radius of the nuclear ruins. The Japanese fishermen already voluntarily avoid fishing grounds at this distance from the nuclear power plant. They have rejected dumping the cooling water into the ocean to the last.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
