Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Science behind the Fukushima Daiichi radioactive water release : Short Wave : NPR

"Fukushima Daiichi," "Chernobyl" (which happens to be in Ukraine, a former Soviet Republic) and "Three Mile Island" (Londonberry Township, Pennsylvania) all have one thing in common: "nuclear reactor accidents." Sorry to be all doom and gloomy on such a nice autumn afternoon too. However now is as inauspicious as any other time. 

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has started the planned release of 343 million gallons of treated radioactive water (the radiation will be diluted to near background radiation levels) into the Pacific Ocean. In response China and Hong Kong have banned the importation of seafoods caught in certain Japanese prefectures. Meanwhile South Korean's are actively protesting the discharge (Some of Japan's neighbors are freaking out over the release of Fukushima water. Should they be? (nbcnews.com)) which the IAEA assures us is safe. I understand, I still feel leery about eating seafood (particularly shrimp) which may be sourced from the Gulf of Mexico (due to the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill (Deepwater Horizon | Oil Spills | Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (noaa.gov)). The alternative is purportedly worse.


Grenee


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