Water release from the crippled reactor in Japan after the 2011 2011 earthquake and tsunami: questions about tritium, carbon-14 and the Pacific Islands Forum
Tritium is a β-radiation emitter — albeit a weak one — meaning that it emits ionizing radiation that can damage DNA. A person travelling from New York to Tokyo with a dose of ionizing radiation less than what TEPCO says the concentrations of tritium in the treated water release.
But human skin partly blocks ionizing radiation, Richmond says. “If you eat something that’s radioactively contaminated with β-emitters, your cells inside are being exposed.”
After the nuclear meltdown triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in 2011, Japan has stored the cooling water for nuclear fuel and rain and groundwater seeping through the damaged reactor building in large tanks. In the year 2021, the country decided to release water, as its storage capacity was going to run out soon.
Some of these radionuclides have a relatively short half-life and would already have decayed in the 12 years since the disaster. But others take longer to decay; carbon-14, for example, has a half-life of more than 5,000 years.
The ALPS process removes enough of 62 of the 64 radionuclides to bring their concentration below Japan’s 2022 regulatory limits for water to be discharged into the environment. The International Commission on Radiological Protection came up with the limits.
Robert, a marine Biologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, would like to know if the people promoting the treatment of the water will show that it will be safe for ocean health and human health. The answer is no.
Richmond is one of five scientists on a panel advising the Pacific Islands Forum, an intergovernmental organization made up of 18 Pacific nations including Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and French Polynesia. The panel was convened to weigh in on the release of the water from the crippled plant, and whether it was safe for the ocean and those who depend on it. There are some unanswered questions about tritium and carbon-14 after scrutinizing all the data provided by the Japanese government and TEPCO.
The clean-up and management of the site have been overseen by the IAEA, who are expected to release a final report later in June.
TEPCO says there will be continuous monitoring of sea life and sediments around the area, which will be done by TEPCO, the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority and the IAEA.
Otosaka says that is also the case in Japan: “More than 50 terabecquerel of tritium was discharged annually from each nuclear power plant in regular operation before the accident,” he says. There are less than 22 Terabecquerels of tritium that will be released each year. Otosaka says the tritium release rate is controllable.
Japan recently completed construction of an underwater tunnel, through which the treated and diluted water will flow into the ocean for the next 30 years. A two-week-long test run of the tunnel is expected to end this week.
The South Korean Sea Salt Crisis after the 2011 Fukushima Disaster: Protests and Support for the Resolution of the South Korean Warfare
According to the survey, 84% of South Koreans disapproved of the release.
The national federation of fishers cooperatives’ branch in Sinan county, which supplies 80% of the nation’s sea salt, saw a surge in retail orders in recent days as Koreans rushed to buy salt before the release.
The data shows that the average retail price for sea salt was 14,562 Korean won, or about $11, for 5 kilograms, up from 11,224 won last year.
Heavy rains this spring have led to a decline in salt production, according to the South Korean government.
When asked if she would buy any salt, Yang said she bought them in bulk last year. “I bought them in advance because I was worried about this year’s Kimjang,” she adds, referring to the annual kimchi-making practice, in which salt is used to cure vegetables.
Lee Yoon-jae works at his father’s dry goods store at the Gwangjang market. He says the news of the upcoming Fukushima water release has not significantly impacted the price of dried seaweed and salt at the store.
The water is one of the basic resources, and if you think it’s contaminated you can’t help but feel scared. “But if it’s scientifically proven [to be safe], I hope people trust that.”
The South Korean government has been checking radiation levels of seafood and sea water since the 2011 disaster and recently started holding daily briefings to reassure the nation of its commitment to safety. It vowed to oppose the water release if the procedure fails to meet regulatory standards.
“In South Korea, you’re either on our side or on their side. He believes that half of the people trust the government, while the other do not. “I personally think the agitation is driven by people’s political stance.”
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged to improve bilateral relations when he came into office in May 2022. A plan to place the victims in a South Korean foundation over the objections of the Japanese companies was announced in March.
After the plan was opposed by survivors and civil activists, summits were held between Yoon and his Japanese counterpart, who promised closer cooperation in security and economy.
The United States, which seeks stronger partnerships with its allies in containing China, welcomed the move. In May, President Biden “comminated Prime Minister Kishida and President Yoon on their courage to improve their bilateral ties, noting that the trilateral partnership and the Pacific are stronger because of their efforts,” according to the White House.
South Korean and Japanese people thought of one another in a different way after the reconciliatory mood. In the Hankook-Yomiuri poll, 43.5% of Koreans — the highest since 1995 — and 45% of Japanese said the current bilateral relationship is good, dramatically up from last year’s 17.6% and 17%, respectively.
The basis for the ongoing rapprochement is not certain, according to a Japan specialist at the Asan Institute.
“Because the Fukushima issue is directly related to people’s safety and health, even those who do not hate Japan or those who are understanding of Japan’s position on historical issues still express concerns about the Fukushima issue,” she says.
In her analysis, she says the root of the fear are trust and fear of long-term impacts. She says people in the region where the accident happened are distrustful, and South Koreans would be just as scared with a different country.
The water discharge starts being important in order to soothe the anxiety. South Korea should get assurance from the Japanese government that it will continue to be involved in inspection and monitoring.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/06/27/1184267924/japan-south-korea-fukushima-nuclear-wastewater
A possible threat to the relations between Korea and South Korea: The case of the ALPS dilution method selected by the IAEA
The method Japan chose for its nuclear program was both technically feasible and in line with international practice, said the director general of the IAEA.
Its plan is to purify the water using a filtering system called Advanced Liquid Processing System, or ALPS, and dilute it with more than 100 times’ quantity of sea water.
It is possible that the upcoming water discharge will threaten the rapprochement between the two neighboring countries that began earlier this year.
In the heart of South Korea’s capital city, you can find a variety of foods at the Gyeongjang traditional market, including olives and rockfish. But come July, he fears he may have to switch to another business.