Fishermen, Greenpeace rap TEPCO over toxic water leak

Thousands and thousands of tonnes of highly radioactive water being released into the sea! What impact is this having on the sealife in the Pacific? Where are the studies on the spread of this radioactivity? Off the coast of Fukushima there are fast moving currents flowing to the north-east-radiation accumulates so how long before seafood in Hokkaido is too contaminated? There is no end to this contamination so just what will happen to the seafood supply in Japan?

Check this out for all you need to know and are afraid to know.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/08/130807-fukushima-radioactive-water-leak/

The debris from Fukushima ends up on the west coast of the US! I wonder if high levels of radioactive water won't also end up there too?

Shame that there is no global authority to sue Japan for ecocide: carelessly and continously polluting sea and global ecosystems and bragging about it. And for those in doubt that the problem is only restricted to Japan, the other day, fukushima sandals were found in Alaska and Canada! Should the world look on as Japan exports its incompetence and usual lack of leadership and accountability to the global commons? Can IAEA save the world by not only thinking of promoting nuclear energy alone, regardless?..at least they have not shown that when the world urgently needed it....the fukushima example doesn't show IAEA thinks beyond profits!

@kurisupisu

What impact is this having on the sealife in the Pacific?

Plankton die off, humans die off, the end.

Greenpeace, get over here and start protesting. Why other other governments ignoring this?? This is getting very little coverage in the international media. We're all connected to the ocean so if there is a time to step up and demand Japan sort this out, this is the time.

I suspect by now the seafood is already contaminated in Hokkaido. So it's probably too late there....

Looking into my crystal ball..

March 11 2015,

Four years after the devastating earthquake, tsunami and resulting man-made nuclear disaster the power utility known as Tepco was forced today, after increasing evidence to have knowingly misled the public and government, to admit they had totally lost control of the continuing stabilisation of the biggest nuclear accident this century and had very little idea if how to move forward.

After increasing international pressure from environmental agencies, the United Nations and the Nuclear Regulatory Agencies the Japanese Government has reluctantly raised the Nuclear Accident level to the highest making this the worst Nuclear accident in history.

Tepco has of this week been put under public control, and many of the executives may face criminal charges for their parts in what has been described as one of the most purposefully deceptive PR campaigns in the history of large scale man made disasters.

Many experts in the areas of nuclear power, nuclear contamination, water treatment are now converging to try and turn around this unstable situation, though many are vocally critical of Tepco's extremely poor handling of the emergency and suggest that contamination and escalation of the emergency might have been significantly lessened if Tepco had more actively sought international assistance with this situation from the first warnings.

The United Nations has now also committed all any and resources to assist with this emergency along with seeking military assistance from various United Nation members, and is considering sanctions against the Japanese Government in newly created policies for the safety of power production and pollution for its continued use of nuclear power in areas deemed unsafe by independent inspectors and for its part in deceptive campaign to hide the true state of Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Well said, NZ2011. This is my greatest fear too. And that's the best case scenario, not worst case.

This shouldn't be just about TEPCO. It should be about Japan that allows this criminal organization to continue to abuse and mislead. The UN should get involved NOW and hold a security council meeting to demand Japan open up the nuclear site to international inspections and further international effort to control and stop this crime against humanity. Otherwise Japan should face severe condemnations followed by economic sanctions. Our children's and grandchildren's futures are at stake here, we can't let Japan's nationalism and mislead pride destroy the earth.

I wonder how many of the Tepco executive board's children live in Fukushima pref.

Well if the leak doesn't create gojira i don't know what will, maybe Tepco should watch Gojira as it was a warning against Nuclear pollution

Don't worry, executive are in the HQ which is based in Tokyo, unfortunately not enough stupid to live close to their deadly plant.

The terrible tragedy in many ways is that the Japanese people themselves seem to have very little interest in it, and elect politicians who either can't or won't do anything about it, instead it will be international pressure that will eventually see their hand forced.

The reactor buildings could topple, due to TEPCO's plans to divert the water.

http://enenews.com/wsj-official-warns-that-tepco-could-topple-reactor-buildings-by-changing-flow-of-groundwater-at-fukushima-plant-water-could-pool-dangerously-underground-softening-the-earth

The reactors are sitting on an underground aquifer which is rapidly collapsing.

http://enenews.com/bbc-water-crisis-at-fukushima-has-only-just-begun-plant-sits-smack-in-the-middle-of-an-underground-aquifer-its-rapidly-being-overwhelmed-deep-beneath-ground-video

It's crime against humanity to let this situation get this far.

harvey pekar

Good link with some solid information. Thanks. If others missed it: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/08/130807-fukushima-radioactive-water-leak/

The strontium-90 seems to be leaking and could affect ocean-roaming fish. The cesium-137 and -134 affect mostly bottom dwelling fish. This could destroy Tohoku's fishing industry if it hasn't already. The good people of Iwai island in Yamaguchi should point this out to the people offering them bribes to allow the Kaminoseki nuclear power plant to be built.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/island-that-has-refused-nuclear-money-for-31-years-pushed-into-compromising-situation

My favorite quote from the National Geographic article that I think every Japan-residing person should now about is:

That marked nearly a 15-fold increase from readings five days earlier,

meaning TEPCO either lied before (shocking, I know) or have increased their dumping

and exceeded Japan's provisional emergency standard of 60 becquerels per liter for cesium radiation levels in drinking water.

...it is far in excess of WHO's guideline advised maximum level of radioactivity in drinking water, 10 becquerels per liter.

The Japanese government doesn't seem to have their citizens' welfare in mind; not that that is a big surprise.

We seriously need to think about international accountability and liability wile we are allowing free trades and want to expand on those. The US allowed for corporation to be viewed as persons. A person who commits murder or causes others harm du to its actions would be held liable and send to prison. However, corporations and banks whom finance the likes of MONSANTO and TEPCO are being bailed out when they cause mass chaos or mess up. This needs to change. Governments and Corporations have to held accountable and liable for what they do which causes harm to human life and our environment at large. The ICC should be allowed to prosecute such and be given the power to enforce its verdict. Cases such as the US and MONSANTO or EXXON and Japan with TEPCO should be tried in an international court and such a court should be given international power to enforce its verdict and hold even countries as well as their corporations accountable and liable. We had to many such cases with radiation leaks, poisoning or chemical releases as well as major oil spills and so on. All affecting the environment as well as causing illnesses and death. Enough! If you want international trade and even free trade, only if accountability and liability are made part of the equation. Sale your food, products, goods and energy if you are willing to be held accountable and liable for those as well, otherwise they should not even be allowed to run a business may such be locally or internationally. How many more disasters do we need before we start to learn and get smart. Maybe, only after it will be to late for humanity.

Very well said Uwe Paschen, and btw, as a good start, Association of Gangsters must be first prosecuted and be illegal for any country willing to do international trade.

300 yesterday...400 today. Now can we have the real figure, please? I'm guessing 1000.

Better do something about that leak, its coming down throught the currents of the east coast.

Crisis situation!!! I really hope the UN and the international community will soon intervene. Shouldn't the Japanese government put out a detailed ocean map of contaminated areas to the public? I'm sure the currents has taken the radiation to who knows where. Wouldn't want to be fishing or swimming this sh*t. Perhaps it's time to buy one of those radiation testers. Good luck Japan, and the world.

marcelitoAug. 08, 2013 - 08:21AM JST

I,m sure the damn TEPCO management as$&:)les will do whatever they can to keep any international co ordinated effort at Daiichi non- existent or minimal for fear that info about how incompetent they are and how bad the situation really is would " leak out". ]

Lack of "international coordinated effort" is just a myth.

IAEA report released in April 2013. http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/focus/fukushima/missionreport230513.pdf

Management of accumulated radioactive water and associated secondary waste

Acknowledgement 7

The IAEA team recognizes TEPCO's efforts to deploy large-scale treatment technologies for decontaminating and desalinating highly radioactive water accumulated at site. The treated water is being used to successfully cool the damaged reactor cores. Considering the challenges in the mobilization of industry support, the design and fabrication in relatively short time frame as well as the installation and operation under difficult conditions, this is a commendable achievement. The international community can also benefit from this valuable experience.

As long as the government continues to let TEPCO get away with all of these crimes, nothing will change, and TEPCO will continue to abuse it's favor with the government. Meanwhile, not just Japan, but the world, will suffer from their incompetence and corruption.

borscht

My favorite quote from the National Geographic article that I think every Japan-residing person should now about is:

That marked nearly a 15-fold increase from readings five days earlier,

meaning TEPCO either lied before (shocking, I know) or have increased their dumping

Or leakage started during those 5 days.

and exceeded Japan's provisional emergency standard of 60 becquerels per liter for cesium radiation levels in drinking water.

...it is far in excess of WHO's guideline advised maximum level of radioactivity in drinking water, 10 becquerels per liter.

But we are talking about the contamination level in dump water, rather than drinking water.

@NZ2011. Good 8.32a post. Proud of your jurno skills Kiwi. Kia Kaha.

Ha ha! Like TEPCO or the J-Gov are gonna let international professionals help out. They would have to pay them a decent salary and couldn't manipulate or conceal their findings. It is not the world's worst nuclear disaster. It is the world's worst handling of a nuclear disaster. Lies, cover ups, concealed facts, unskilled workers, shoddy repair work and no solid plan of how to deal with the crisis. If it wasn't so serious it would be hilarious! And, where is the $11 billion+ gonna come from to clean up this farce? From the 'shoganai' population of Japan through higher power tariffs and governmental bailouts with tax money.

The foremost problem here is the lack of transparency!!!

From Day One there is no independent monitoring of the values at the plant. There were some visits and delegations but they only read the data provided from Tepco. Including the Japanese researchers and government.

If one private company is dealing with the problem but heavily state funded I don't see why they have still the right to have all the cards. They should be supervised 24h from the state agency and internationally as well - give access under certain conditions so parallel data can be obtained.

About the crisis though despite many of you repeat to say no international help was accepted I think several times there were consultations and Tepco uses French equipment on the site. Of course much more should be done. Basically this is first for the industry on many levels so technical solutions are lacking and have to be developed from now.

No matter what it is very complicated and I only hope the radioactive water doesn't reach the ground water table of the rivers supplying drinking water. That would be even bigger disaster.

If all the fish within 200 kilometers of Fukushima dai-ichi were equal polluted, that is, no fish had less or more than the average trace of radioactive substances of all fish in that area, it would be a straightforward problem with which to deal. Simply measure the level randomly and make the rules. However, because fish swim around, the levels are unlikely to be uniform. A school of small fish near the plant may become highly polluted, then if a school of tuna arrives at the plant at the end of long journey across the deep seas of the Pacific, they will be very hungry and make a viking meal out of the small fish. Three days later the tuna might even be outside the 200 kilometer limit.

The chances of those tuna getting sampled for radiation is very small. Yet thousands of people might dine on those tuna.

The Japanese government should be taken to court for gross neglience, deceit and utter lack of morals for the international community. The whole thing as we have said again and again demands an international response.

This is having an impact upon US children's health apparently. http://www.nyrnaturalnews.com/cancer-2/2013/04/fukushima-fallout-thyroid-damage-in-us-children/

Looking into my crystal ball.. March 11 2015, Tepco has of this week been put under public control, and many of the executives may face criminal charges

Your crystal is just dreaming. Tepco is not more threatened by justice than Union Carbide.

They've got a right to complain but I have no idea what anybody can do about it.

there's no point in asking the government to step in. The government is already in bed with Tepco. For more transparency, the international community has to recognize the Japanese government as a corrupt organization, and force greater transparency through sanctions. At this rate, Tepco will continue to be inept, while the Japanese government tries its best to keep out foreign scrutiny.

People are governed by governments and if governments were effective then the Japanese government would be phasing out nuclear power.instead the system allows politicians to control their citizens. A public referendum should be conducted in Japan to show that democracy ie the will of people is anti nuclear power. However, governments are not effective and democracy is The last thing that politicians wish for. Meanwhile the power plants leak and chronic diseases increase.....