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Radiation from Fukushima nuclear disaster spreads off U.S. shores

34 Comments
By Courtney Sherwood

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""Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant CONTINUES TO LEAK radioactive isotopes... the spread of radiation to North American waters is not isolated to a handful of locations"

Now here's Tom with the weather!! :-)

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

"The figures also confirm that the spread of radiation to North American waters is not isolated to a handful of locations, but can be detected along a stretch of more than 1,600 km offshore."

refs:

http://enenews.com/category/japan

http://www.netc.com/

1 ( +4 / -3 )

if there is no harm to the public, then who gives a rats ar*e? by not stating exactly how far below the recommended safetly levels for radiation, then this is just more fear mongering from the media.

-2 ( +11 / -13 )

Check out this small video to get an idea of how much radiation from bombs is polluting our world before you become hysterical about Fukushima. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXxPRHkyAvY

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

measurement values?

What it'll be when they start dumping all the reactor water into the ocean?

4 ( +7 / -3 )

I agree with "marcelito" above. If the Western U.S. coast is getting bombarded by even a small amount of radioactive isotopes from Fukushima, what are we getting here in Japan? Is anybody keeping count anymore? Seems as if the Abe-led government isn't ... or if so, they surely ain't telling us what's going on.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

Be careful if you are living in contaminated areas or what you eat since the radiations don't mind boarders. Internal exposure is more of a silent killer, which makes it easier for governments to down-play the effects. They have been gathering data, which, however, doesn't mean they give you what they learned from it (cf http://www.democracynow.org/2004/5/5/plutonium_files_how_the_u_s) for obvious reasons.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

I was just reading an article about the radiation that has traveled across the pacific to the west coast and thought what is it like at ground zero where 100% of the radioisotopes are in the air, soil and water. With the way the waters of our ocean travel the same radioisotopes on the west coast will be in Japan in a few years.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/28-signs-that-the-west-coast-is-being-absolutely-fried-with-nuclear-radiation-from-fukushima/5355280

0 ( +4 / -4 )

What it'll be when they start dumping all the reactor water into the ocean?

Do you mean the filtered water that is LESS radioactive than the average ocean water was before 3/11?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I find rather silly that US is so concerned about 'traces' of isotopes from Fukushima along their shores after that for decades they spread all around the world in an amounts, which are still very traceable, plutonium and a lot of other radioisotopes with thousands of atmospheric nuclear tests that now they fancily ignores (explosions just to test if the paint on their airplanes would have resisted...). No doubt the increase of tumors after WW2 all around the world can be linked also to that: radio isotopes that enter the body - also in very irrelevant amounts contribute - to immune defense deficiency. What studies on low level radiation exposition on humans such as those of Prof. Badazewsky in Ukrania - in areas close to Chernobyl - are showing and that AIEA are so scared to see going all around the world now that nuclear faith is so trembling (and reason for it has been doing a lot of efforts to have his international grants and fundings suspended, to stop him from continuing his work). At the same time, I find likewise silly how here in Japan, everything seems forgotten and finished: pears from Fukushima, rice, fish... you can find everything at the market. Go asking to people from Ukrania if they eat food from the areas around Chernobyl...! Only the villages close to the restricted areas do that, because they have no other source of food and Russian government do not do anything else for them.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Nuclear power is a really ridiculous way to boil water.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Hey but the fish and veggies from there are safe to eat! How do I know? Abe said so!

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Nakanoguy is spot on with the assessment here- we must be coming up to funding time again. Woods Hole has always been in big with the US government and the 3 letter agencies so they need that extra money.

to publish information that states- yeah we can notice there is something- but we can also notice 1950 testing but nothing is even close to harmful - but we need to keep monitoring....

KaChing - please pay us to monitor.,...

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

measurement values?

From an article titled 'Higher levels of Fukushima cesium detected offshore' about this research at phys.org

The level of radioactive cesium isotopes in the sample, 11 Becquerel's per cubic meter of seawater (about 264 gallons), is 50 percent higher than other samples collected along the West Coast so far, but is still more than 500 times lower than US government safety limits for drinking water, and well below limits of concern for direct exposure while swimming, boating, or other recreational activities.

That was the highest sample and it came from about 1,600 miles west of San Francisco.

The article also says 'Buesseler will present his latest findings on the spread of Fukushima radiation at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco on Dec. 14, 2015.'

So hopefully at that time more comprehensive data will be available.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Nuclear power is a really ridiculous way to boil water.

Not if the alternative is a coal fire.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

Anyone else noticed the marked decrease in reports on Dai ichi situation under his stewardship? Oh yeah I forgot, it's just that it's all so much better now , there definitely is no govt. pressure / lean on the media , soft censorship or anything. Now how about those melted cores that have mysteriously gone AWOL?

The lack of articles is not the government's doing, it's the news agencies. "NEWS" implies something new needs to be made public. Newspapers and TV news shows aren't going to waste column space/air time with a report that says something along the lines of, "The Daiichi Nuclear Plant is still leaking radioactive water and the molten cores have not been addressed yet. Same as yesterday. Same as the previous week. Same as the previous month."

0 ( +2 / -2 )

But on the other hand, an Alaskan group says Alaskan seafood is completely free of Fukushima contamination in an article here from Dec 1. I guess I will just toss some dice for my opinion: 1 to 3 equals no Fukushima contamination on America's west coast 4 to 6 means death and cancer for tens of thousands...here goes!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

But on the other hand, an Alaskan group says Alaskan seafood is completely free of Fukushima contamination in an article here from Dec 1. I guess I will just toss some dice for my opinion

No 'other hand' involved at all. This article is about radioactive contamination in WATER. The other article was about radioactive contamination in SEAFOOD. See the difference?

Just because there are detectable levels of contamination in the water does not mean that seafood will have absorbed detectable levels of contamination.

And 'detectable' is another concept that has to be understood. Not detectable does not mean NONE, it could be none but the equipment can only detect the material if it exceeds some very small amount. It might above zero but still below the ability of the equipment to find.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I find rather silly that US is so concerned about 'traces' of isotopes from Fukushima along their shores after that for decades they spread all around the world in an amounts, which are still very traceable, plutonium and a lot of other radioisotopes with thousands of atmospheric nuclear tests that now they fancily ignores (explosions just to test if the paint on their airplanes would have resisted...). No doubt the increase of tumors after WW2 all around the world can be linked also to that: radio isotopes that enter the body - also in very irrelevant amounts contribute - to immune defense deficiency.

Nope. Cancer rates have increased because we've eliminated most other major causes of early deaths. Before the industrialized world, people died of infectious diseases, accidents, famine, etc... Our prosperous societies are now able to reduce these deaths to a minimum, meaning people live longer and longer. Cancer is a natural occurrence which odds increase as time goes on, so because we don't die earlier, our odds of getting cancer in our lifetime are increasing.

Short version: we have to die of something, and we've significantly reduced most other causes, so cancer is what kills us now. Blaming trace amounts of radioactive isotopes is pure unfounded anti-nuclear hysteria.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

All I know is that I loathe nuclear anything.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

The thing is this stuff is bioaccumulative, so as we are at the top of the food chain we multiply our tissue absorption. This shows up in children first as leukemia and thyroid problems.

also with climate change and many worldwide reactors along sea coasts means that the radioactive waste material needs an action plan to prevent discharge into oceans. The ultimate middle finger to future generations.

No one is thinking ahead because no one wants to pay for it. But they'll give money away to companies who run the plants. Ugh

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

perspective: american radiation that has affected japan vs japanese radiation that has affected america.

if americans are so worried about it: they should help! they have army forces in japan for the protection of the japanese people right? may be is about time they stop molesting okinawan girls and do something for good.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

nuclear vs. coal? According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, in the US, "Coal plants are the nation’s top source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the primary cause of global warming. In 2011, utility coal plants in the United States emitted a total of 1.7 billion tons of CO2. A typical coal plant generates 3.5 million tons of CO2 per year. Burning coal is also a leading cause of smog, acid rain, and toxic air pollution."

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This article is about radioactive contamination in WATER. The other article was about radioactive contamination in SEAFOOD. See the difference?

Do you deny the connection between the two? Do you think the sea life is filtering the stuff out of their systems or something? You find nothing odd about the gap between the two studies?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

TEPCO, that private entity with monopoly on Kanto area, backed at 51% by the govt, must be dumping a hell of contaminated water every day since 2011 so it is "detectable" so far away despite the so called claim of "infinite dissolution capability of the sea".

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Hydropower

It's more of a question of why would you expect such low levels of radiation to contaminate seafood? The levels of radiation are vwry low - 1/500 th of what is acceptable in drinking water and substantially lower than what would be regarded as dangerous for swimming.

There's studies of a scientist eating only Fukushima food for a number of weeks and showing absolutely no Fukushima related radiation in his body. And that's from eating food and drink that will be more contaminated than this water.

4.5 years on and people still seem to understand that science has already answered these questions. They just don't want to believe them

2 ( +3 / -1 )

What governments have said are not dangerous to humans and sea life. However there is a very real chance that all governments have lied about radiation in all of its forms in order to launch the nuclear industry and maintain as a taxpayer subsidized industry. Lying as a industry makes lots of money. We call it advertising and Public Relations run by Spin Doctors that can make anything sound the way that you want to sound so people don't catch on to how they are being hurt my it. Anyone my age remembers when Cancer was not such a profitable industry. Problems create opportunities to make profits as long as the problem is never solved.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Yes just like the way the US views radiation although it has been proven that low dose exposure does cause cancer. The US and Europe have such high limits for what is acceptable in food, water, soil what have you. It is just criminal..... if radiation is so dangerous and it is. Why in the world would they call it nuclear medicine. It is the very thing that can give you cancer in the first place and hospitals are using it to supposedly heal the very same thing.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Yes just like the way the US views radiation although it has been proven that low dose exposure does cause cancer. The US and Europe have such high limits for what is acceptable in food, water, soil what have you. It is just criminal..... if radiation is so dangerous and it is. Why in the world would they call it nuclear medicine. It is the very thing that can give you cancer in the first place and hospitals are using it to supposedly heal the very same thing.

You took one hell of a swing there with that nonsense. You missed spectacularly, but I am sure we all appreciate the effort nevertheless.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Do you deny the connection between the two? Do you think the sea life is filtering the stuff out of their systems or something? You find nothing odd about the gap between the two studies?

No I don't deny there is a connection between the two. But the connection isn't as direct as some people seem to think.

And no I don't find anything odd about the gap between the two studies. The highest water sample sample result, which was only 11 Bq per cubic meter, was from 1600 miles west of San Francisco. While the seafood samples were from Alaska, which would mean 2000 miles or more from the highest water sample.

However there is a very real chance that all governments have lied about radiation in all of its forms in order to launch the nuclear industry and maintain as a taxpayer subsidized industry.

Anything to back up this 'very real chance'? The mere fact that Public Relations and Spin Doctors exist doesn't mean that every issue is dominated by them.

It is the very thing that can give you cancer in the first place and hospitals are using it to supposedly heal the very same thing.

Nitroglycerin and PETN are both potent explosives and yet thousands of people everyday take them as medicine to treat their disease.

In the 16th Century Paracelsus said "All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes a thing not a poison."

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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