Gov't says it is safe to release contaminated Fukushima water into ocean

Thanks a lot,Japanese government.

But we really knew this was going to happen soon or later.

There goes another piece of Japan’s high tech myth crumbling into the ocean along with a he super tainted water.

They couldn’t come up with a way of making it safe so they are going to just let leak into it he sea.

They will be asking foreign countries to buy food from Fukushima next.

how about asking the rest of the living world if it's ok you self-centered twats?

An absolute scandal.

It is not OK to just dump all this into the ocean.

Whos going to stand up to them though?

The international community can not let this happen. And, ad nauseam, again: It may well represent between just one-1,600th and one-40,000th of the radiation that humans are naturally exposed to, BUT, reread that sentence, the key word? Naturally. The water they want to release contains no natural isotopes, only manmade ones, which are exactly what you do not want in any food chain.

Gov't says it is safe to release contaminated Fukushima water into ocean

Ocean wildlife will disagree .... And, If you believe this, I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell to you !!

Gov't says it is safe to release contaminated Fukushima water into ocean

I just spit my Happy Hour beer onto the counter here at the bar!

*Government says?!?!?!" I wonder how they can say this with a straight face!

Tepco admitted last year that the water in its tanks still contained contaminants beside tritium. The water in tanks contains strontium-90, Iodine-129 etc. Those are more harmful to human body than tritium.

For example Strontium-90 has a half life of 29 years and emits beta particles of relatively low energy as it decays. Strontium-90 behaves like calcium in the human body and tends to deposit in bone and blood forming tissue (bone marrow). Thus, strontium90 is referred to as a "bone seeker," and exposure will increase the risk for several diseases including bone cancer, cancer of the soft tissue near the bone, and leukemia. (See https://semspub.epa.gov/work/HQ/175430.pdf)

See TEPCO press release below.

http://www.tepco.co.jp/decommission/progress/watertreatment/images/190331tankarea.pdf

http://www.tepco.co.jp/decommission/progress/watertreatment/images/190630exit.pdf

Also See page.7 of METI press release below.

https://www.meti.go.jp/english/earthquake/nuclear/decommissioning/pdf/20190904_current_status.pdf

@LamillyToday

My goodness, we need Greta Thunberg the young Swedish environmental activist here, pronto.

Unless she dressed as a schoolgirl or a maid and danced about with lots of frills nobody would take any notice.

If it's safe why don't they dump it in Tokyo Bay?

Well, if the government says so, I guess it must be okay then. ( For the sarcasm-impaired: Not really)

Oh? The does no wrong crew is eerily quiet on this article.

There goes the moral high ground to use the next time a big cloud of PM drifts over from China.

I also trust they are not going to guilt trip people for not buying Tohoku seafood or going there for a beach holiday.

stressing that the health risk to humans would be "significantly small."

Err... so what does that mean? Will the health risks be significant, or will it be small?

If it's no problem ship it all to Kasumigaseki and let the politicians use if for flushing their toilets!

The current should take it around Alaska and to the American west coast, by which time it will be heavily diluted, but say goodbye to Tohoku fisheries.

Natch! That must be why it was decided from the start to put the nuclear power station there by the beach. Foresight!

Fukushima seafood and fish are safe will be the next mantra to come out of Kasumgaseki.

Scandalous indeed.

I want members of the Japanese Industry Ministry let ME go to Fukashima to get a jugs of this safe water. I will mix it with some sparkling water, and let them drink it. Once they ALL drink this water, and their entire family has a cup, then they can be free to dump all they want.

Will have to remove Fukushima from any future surf trips.

Look I am like everyone I don't want this dumped int o the ocean, but as I have been saying since 3\11 that is EXACTLY where it will end up, only questions are how & when!

But I didn't expect to hear the govt say they would simply release it, I figured they would wait until a typhoon or the next big quake to release the stuff!

So, here it is! They’ve been sitting on this problem for 8 flipping years waiting for the day when they have no choice than to release the water into the ocean. Let’s not forget that, just a few months ago they also admitted that a lot of the water is not fully cleaned and contains deadly isotopes like cesium and stronium. But, hey! They have no choice, right? They’ve had 8 years to find a solution and have done nothing about it. Their teams of experts sucking fat salaries only come up with this solution. I can’t wait for the international backlash for this disposable act.

Hahahaha!! We all knew this was their only solution.

I guess it's some kind of good news they won't go ahead with a 'planned accident'.

So we were all completely wrong about the dangers of radioactive isotopes.

Japan has over 6,000 islands. Many of which are uninhabited. They could bury it. Perhaps not the best way but better than putting it in the ocean for numerous reasons.

If this water is so safe the LDP and members of the industry ministry should swim in it.

The 2100 micro Sieverts is an average value for a year of which half of this is due to radon. The human body contains enough Potassium 40 to give about 5000 disintegrations per minute. If you are worried about your exposure level then it is best not to sleep with anybody.

Japanese lives may not be worth, nothing to government of Japan, the US actually put a price on the life cost on American, citizen ,factoring the it environmental policies

They could have phrased this more cleverly. We here have been discussing the contents of these tanks for the past eight years, so we are not totally stupid and clueless. I was expecting a headline more along the lines of "Government explains why and how they plan to release much (but not all) of this water safely back into the ocean."

The government just telling us that it is 'safe' does not advance the game one iota. We already know that it is relatively safe, or much of it is. Some of it is definitely unsafe.

This merely shows that the politicians have learned nothing about how to communicate, what the real problem is, and almost like Hong Kong, will surely make folks dig in their heels, setting up an unnecessarily protracted and bitter fight.

This is more important than anything else

@nandakandamanda

Absolutely agree. Regardless of the facts, the message has come across as shifty, as in "nothing to see here, move on".

I think Abe made a similar mistake back in 2013, when he said “let me assure you the situation is under control."

Perhaps they can use the water to fill swimming pools... I'd imagine when it's dilluted into the entire ocean the levels would be low but is it fair the whole World has to pay for their making?

Radioactive Sushi, cooking naturally inside you, Japanese food are not allowed in the US, because of radiation

Personally, I'd feel a lot better if a team of international nuclear experts from across the globe came to Japan to examine the water in question before dumping all of it in the ocean.

If Japan releases all of this radioactive waste into the ocean without seeking international inspection & approval, then it's going to smell of corruption.

Bring in experts and outsiders from all over first, then decide what's best to do with it.

Interesting how people react, in this case give your ideas or solutions if you have any. If all the countries have conserns than come with a solution and work together.

People should also known history and learn that on the bottom of the ocean many jars with radioactive material is dropped by USA, Russia and France in the early 60s. Nobody complain about it and we still eat fish.

Of course I don not agree or approve the way the waste is dumped by Japan but it is really not only Japan.

There should be a world wide study about neutralize the waste.

But as long there is no solution than dilution is maybe still the best option.

Only thing we can do is reducing the amount of electricity by using less electronics but nobody wants to give that up. Everyone wants to drive electrical because it saves the environment but meanwhile somewhere mines are created for extracting Cobalt and other materials which needs to be processed which generate pollution.

Anyway just keep narrow minded.

What does Greta say?

Sorry, no connection with climate change.

I'll ask it again - Is this the behavior of a benevolent mature member of the global community repentant for any past misdeeds ally? Looks more like an incorrigible delinquent.

Hmm, wonder who it was who convinced Japanese citizens that nuclear power would be safe...

Nuclear-powered electricity generation. The solution to one problem, and the cause of others.

@stormcrow has the best suggestion - bring in the international experts and let them confirm the government's claim.

This really reflects what the government thinks of the population’s IQ.

Which geniuses decided to build right near the sea?

Good! Then can a member of the TEPCO executive committee whose incompetence it was in the first place all this happened pop along and drink a glass of water from one of the tanks please?

No I didn’t think so.

Quote from above: Japan's industry ministry said Monday it would be safe to release water contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear disaster into the ocean, stressing that the health risk to humans would be "significantly small."

First question one should ask what does it mean that health risks from this radioactively contamination water would "significantly small"? Does this mean that anyone ingesting this water would suffer little as a result? Or does it mean that few people will be affected?

Note that the modifier "significantly" is vague and can only act as a distractor.

Let's see him drink a glass of this water then tell us it's safe!

I'm going to be thumbed down but I don't care. I trust the government, years back prime minister Abe ate an octopus at Fukushima, what else proof do you want there's no contamination? Abe would have not certainly risked his health. Years have passed.

I must add that statement I quoted above is disingenuous. For that reason I must question if releasing the radioactively contaminated water in the Pacific is safe.

If this water is safe enough to dump into the Pacific it should be equally safe not to dump in the Pacific but keep it for ordinary uses.

Anyway, this contaminated water will be the least safe where it is initially dumped. That means Japan.

Go Abechan! Pollute the oceans with Japan’s wonderful nuclear culture. He deserves a second chance!

Gov't says it is safe to release contaminated Fukushima water into ocean

Oh, yes! The Japanese government who is very well known for their corruption and media sanctioning say it's safe, so it must be!

This is an absolutely disgusting environmental disaster! Yeah, they argue that tritium will be diluted by the ocean, but the ocean would be much better off without it, right?

They also argue that tritium can not be removed from water, which is completely false! Tritium (irradiated hydrogen) can be removed from water. However, it is an expensive and time consuming process. It's easier to just dump the tainted water into the ocean and tell BS to the masses.

As stated above, there was a report released just a few months ago stating this water had not been sufficiently filtered and contained many heavy and deadly isotopes as well as tritium. There's no mention of this report in the government press release. They just state "It's safe to release" What a huge surprise that is, NOT!

They have had nearly nine years to find a solution to this problem, but they have just sat on their hands waiting for this inevitable day to arrive. Now, they are crying the victim again because "we have no choice", which is a huge load of BS! They've been paying these parasite 'panels of experts' ridiculous amounts of money to find a solution and this is the best they could come up with in nine years? What a huge crock of poop! what exactly is their expertise? Procrastinating and lying to the public?

Now, I am just waiting for the international backlash for this act of environmental terrorism. I know SK and Taiwan will be first to boycott all Japanese east coast seafood (again). I'm hopeful many other countries will condemn Japan and start sanctions against them for this.

Shame on you Japanese Government! You are a disgusting bunch of environmental terrorists without any comparison or morals!

Of course it's safe. It's as safe as the decision to tell the people to return to their radioactive towns.

The thought of pouring water with dissolved radioisotopes in it sounds terrible. But, if it is diluted enough it's not a big deal. The fuel in the reactors came from the the Earth and was refined to purify it. Reactors do not make more radioactive material than the started with. (They do change it.) Essentially they are putting it back where it came from. The key to safety is dilution. We live with radiation all around us everyday. The air has many radioactive elements in it. The soil and water also has radiation in it. If you had a radiation meter you would find that banannas are quite high in radioactive potassium, your air filters are high in radioactive dust, cigarettes are high, and there are many other sources. In the US the limit for Radon gas in homes is 2 pCi/L yet many homes have levels that exceed 50 pCi/L. And, drinking water can easily contain 300 pCi/L. Radiation is dangerous when concentrated. We also encounter high radiation with medical X-rays and airline flights. It's a normal part of the environment when sufficiently diluted. Let's not make unfounded and emotional decisions regarding radiation.

This is just horrible & ridiculous.. you will continue to contaminate the water.... they can’t possibly think this makes since!!!

I'm glad all the nuclear experts from around the world are gathered here in this forum. I agree that it would be a good move to let 3rd party officials check on the water before releasing. As mentioned in earlier discussions, La Hague or Sellafield do this on a routine basis with sometimes even more bequerel levels than at Fukushima. As this article from German public TV states: It is "Dangerous especially for the image". Here is the article via Google translate:

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww1.wdr.de%2Fwissen%2Ftechnik%2Ffukushima-radioaktives-wasser-meer-100.html

How much money and manpower will this save? We've got an Olympics to worry about; besides, few foreigners are going up in that direction. Now, if we could only get the Koreans to believe us...

The brains of these people are also "significantly small".

Let me guess.. all of you, complaining here, got really bad marks in school at physics? Yea, knew it. For starters, before complaining looks into the half-life of tritium, should be an easy Wikipedia search..

Complete BS, get 3rd parties to put reports out.

stressing that the health risk to humans would be "significantly small."

How small? Have they measured it?

This is why I stopped buying any produce from Fukushima.

Just a "drop in the ocean" appears to be the reassuring message of the ministry, but although I don't understand the science of it all, as a precaution I wouldn't want to swim in the vicinity. And just imagine if Godzilla were to rise from the ocean off Fukushima, I reckon that would finally spell the end of the LDP's long-running tragi-comedy.

Since when politicians can state this is safe?

They even cannot get the support from the highly corrupt IAEA, that says all!

It is safe. The antinuclear peanut gallery might want to read up on terms like "dilution" and "natural background radiation".

After this, it's kosher to ban all Japanese seafood, not just Fukushima area ones.

I'm still worrying about C02 :) to worry about this. So does this mean when I eat fish I will now along with all the mercury have to eat Radioactive Calcium, Iodine and Iron that will be absorbed by my body and stay in there for my life ? So whats to worry about they did not tell you about that cloud after Fukushima had what they called a hydrogen explosion with no mention of core meltdown causing water molecules to split and make hydrogen that went over Tokyo cause they thought OK too. They won't tell you that those isotopes like cesium strontium and others get absorbed into your body. Watch for big increases in thyroid cancer in next 10 years and remember why.

So whats to worry about they did not tell you about that cloud after Fukushima had what they called a hydrogen explosion with no mention of core meltdown causing water molecules to split and make hydrogen that went over Tokyo cause they thought OK too.

What??? What do you mean?

If we dumped it in Tokyo Bay, will it kill all the E. coli? (Attempted humor for the Mr. Science types)

@bearandrodent

If we dumped it in Tokyo Bay, will it kill all the E. coli?

More like it will create mutated E. Coli bacteria.

They will be asking foreign countries to buy food from Fukushima next.

"Ask"?

What a farce. Abe and co lying through their teeth.

There was another incident where the Japanese government deliberately moved over 1000 bags containing radioactive soil towards the river banks just prior to typhoon Hagibis, so as to make it seem that the floods caused by the typhoon carried the bags downstream ‘accidentally’.

Japan has no regard for human safety. It’s all about the image.

Tom Doley,

Is that true?

Could you post a link about that?

The ministry says annual radiation levels near the release point of the water is a mean 0.3 microsievert at sea and 1.3 microsieverts in the atmosphere. Those are really minuscule figures compared with the 2,100 microsieverts humans are said to be exposed to naturally every day.

If so, then why in the world did they start installing tanks to contain the contaminated water?

voiceofokinawa,

A very good point indeed.

I guess they were just waiting for the media's focus to be off this topic and after hearing Abe say,"everything was under control," they thought nobody would mind.

"Gov't says it is safe ..." - Enough said here.

Wondering when extreme weather (Global Warming) will be linked to the 8 years of contaminating the Pacific Ocean.

Why is it I never see Ganbare Japan's input in this issue?

When will Japanese people hit the streets to protest this?

Are there in fact any other options? Would love to here from experts in other countries.

look, I'll say it's ok if Abe and all the other decision makers agree that they and their children and grandchildren will all go for a swim by the release point just afterwards - let's see if there's any takers!

Because the government is expert of nuclear things, isn't it?

As I said before, they should bottle it and sell it or give it for free to next year Olympics visitors and tourists. After all it is safe, isn't it? Fukushima mineral water... rich in oligoelements.

Here's my 2 cents worth.

I'm actual comfortable with it provided the levels are at those indicated.

Why?

1) The levels are of Tritium are extremely low. Tritium is already discharged (and managed) by most NPP as part of their operations and the levels discussed are under the levels set by Japanese standards, which in turn are low by international standards. Remember that through years of experience with handling nuclear materials we have become exceptionally good at detecting even the most minute amounts of radioactive materials.

2) Tritium isn't like other radiosondes like Iodine-131 which get absorbed into the body, and concentrated in certain organs (Thyroid). The body treats it in a similar way to water and it flushes through.

They will be asking foreign countries to buy food from Fukushima next.

They already did that, with South Korea. And when South Korea refused to resume buying the contamined stuff Japan triggered a set of export bans,

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/South-Korea-wins-WTO-appeal-on-Fukushima-seafood-ban2

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/12/national/appeal-wto-upholds-seouls-import-curbs-japan-seafood-fukushima-nuclear-disaster/#.XdNHxqaRU6k

https://www.forbes.com/sites/donaldkirk/2019/08/02/japan-ejects-south-korea-from-export-white-list-as-trade-relations-fray/#6852034c6eea

Yes, surprise, surprise, Japan export restrictions on SK are not related with "strategic materials" security mumbo jumbo, it's all about a monetary tit for tat.

So, does anyone have a serious alternative? I'm not being sarcastic. There are over 80 posts and not one valid idea.

I don't have an alternative idea. Do you?

Whatever happened to Omotenashi

Japan's industry ministry said Monday it would be safe to release water contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear disaster into the ocean, stressing that the health risk to humans would be "significantly small."

Yeah! Sure! Why not? I mean.....what can go wrong? You know? I mean, humans don't eat fish.....that lives in the OCEAN or any other sea food! Right?

Dilution IS the solution.

The dangers are tiny, almost non existent. Ignore the panic knee jerk reactions to people who know nothing of the subject.

Slowly pumping it into the sea is the best and only option.

Japan's industry ministry said Monday it would be safe to release water contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear disaster into the ocean, stressing that the health risk to humans would be "significantly small."

ooohhh, tell me more tell me more.

I get all of my facts from the Japanese Government. They know everything! Tell us more truth please!

Nip-pon! Nip-pon!

sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

They need to syphon out the top 70-80% (?) of each tank, or however much they decide is 'safe', and collect the dangerous sludge for further time/thought/treatment.

samit basu:

More like it will create mutated E. Coli bacteria.

You do know that all bacteria mutate all the time, or don´t you?

nandakamanda:

They need to syphon out the top 70-80% (?) of each tank, or however much they decide is 'safe', and collect the dangerous sludge for further time/thought/treatment.

I understand they are talking about cooling water. So there is no sludge.

Peter Neil:

So, does anyone have a serious alternative? I'm not being sarcastic. There are over 80 posts and not one valid idea.

I don't have an alternative idea. Do you?

The only one I could find was "they should bottle it and sell it or give it for free to next year Olympics visitors and tourists". Other than that..... only sloganeering and complaining.

I understand they are talking about cooling water. So there is no sludge.

WilliB, look at the photograph and then paragraph three. Those tanks have been filled over a period of eight years, and heavier particles tend to sink to the bottom.

nandakamanda:

Water used to cool the melted-down cores and groundwater near the crippled plant contains some radioactive materials,

Yes, there is probably some sediment, but I do not see the connection to radioactive particles which are dissolved in the water.

in my opinion as a Japanese

yeah it's gonna be a good idea not to eat seafood in Japan and not come to Japan.

more and more Japanese can eat sushi ,and foreigners will not come to Japan ignoring the fact that the sea food in fukushima is one of the most safe one.

you guys can eat sea foods of your country,which contain 6 times as much radioactive as that of Japan.

@Laguna

Thank you, my sentiments exactly. What a lot of people don’t seem to realize, is that they are going to release it in the Pacific freakin Ocean. Do I even need to tell you how big the Pacific Ocean is? And it will follow the current, which means most of Japan will not be affected anyway, minus those Tohoku fisheries.

JCosplay:

Do I even need to tell you how big the Pacific Ocean is?

Apparently, you have to.

How dare you !

Its like throwing a pin head size drop of something not very dangerous into an olympic sized swimming pool.

Calm down!

Didn't the government also say meltdowns were impossible?

I say dump it. I have investigated this mathematically. Denver is more dangerous than this water with its background radon radiation. So is flying all the time.

@Kipling Totally agree.

Since there seems to be sufficient evidence for the hypothesis that dumping the water won't ultimately be a problem, then, what's the problem?

Radiation contaminated fish aside, has anyone been following the record size fish, lobsters, oysters, squid, crabs coming out of the Pacific lately? Follow the currents, combine that with the record size fish and well that would explain the record size shellfish. Now that is sexy and cool.

@Tom Doley

Spitfire requested clarification of your claim and I do too. I do not dispute it. I just like a bit more evidence than a naked claim and, if you have evidence of such manipulation, it's a BIG deal. Seriously, please expand your comment.

My God! Lets organize a NO DUMP rally!

This wrong on so many levels. Many of you are missing the point here. Once this dump goes forward. We are basically telling the world its okay to dumb anything in the ocean as long as government says. Oh its Okay do not worry about it. Can not harm you. Its just a small amount in our vast oceans.

Wake up here! This is not cool. There is another way to deal with contaminated water.

Its just not been put forward or discovered yet.

The question remains: what would you propose to solve the problem?

We can save everybody if all in abe gov't drank the water first.

Love how news of this is quiet in words newspapers.

People are blaming the Japanese government, but the Fukushima reactor was manufactured and partially operated by GE?

For example Strontium-90 has a half life of 29 years and emits beta particles of relatively low energy as it decays. Strontium-90 behaves like calcium in the human body and tends to deposit in bone and blood forming tissue (bone marrow). Thus, strontium90 is referred to as a "bone seeker," and exposure will increase the risk for several diseases including bone cancer, cancer of the soft tissue near the bone, and leukemia

Thats good to know, thanks for that info. I personally dont trust anything any Japanese with "authority" says, case in point. Its a society built around the concept of indirect deceit.

People are blaming the Japanese government, but the Fukushima reactor was manufactured and partially operated by GE?

According to sources I have talked with, GE advised them not build so close to the sea, and offered suggestions on how to improve, but in typical Japanese fashion, ignore the outsiders and do it ourselves. Kind of like the helii hose solution that Kan suggested?