Government proposes release of Fukushima water to sea or air

Hello ATS.

Officials at the Fukushima nuclear plant are proposing to release radioactive water from the plant into the ocean. I didn't see any other post(s) about this topic so I'd thought I'd share. They say they can remove all of the radioactive elements from sea water to levels that are safe for humans except for a radioactive element named Tritium. However, most of the water that has been captured and stored still contains cancer causing radioactive elements and still needs further treatment.

Fukushima fishermen and the National Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations have strongly opposed past suggestions by government officials that the water be released to the sea, warning of an “immeasurable impact on the future of the Japanese fishing industry,” with local fishermen still unable to resume full operations after the nuclear plant accident.

The water has been treated, and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., says all 62 radioactive elements it contains can be removed to levels not harmful to humans except fortritium. There is no established method to fully separate tritium from water, but scientists say it is not a problem in small amounts. Most of the water stored at the plant still contains other radioactive elements including cancer-causing cesium and strontium and needs further treatment. In Monday’s proposal, the ministry suggested a controlled release of the water into the Pacific, allowing the water to evaporate, or a combination of the two methods. The ministry said the controlled release to the sea is the best option because it would “stably dilute and disperse” the water from the plant and can be properly monitored. A release is expected to take years and radiation levels will be kept well below the legal limit, the proposal said.

Whoa! This just has "stupid" written all over it. The ocean(s) already having issues of Deoxygenation from Climate change, pesticides, and other run-off doing damage to the water table and temperature distribution in the ocean(s) which I put in this thread: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Now this bright idea from the officials running the show at Fukushima? On the bright side, this isn't a complete doom and gloom post as, apparently, Tritium has been released into the ocean before from plants all around the world where, once in the oceans, it is dispersed and evaporated. This gives me some hope that this isn't totally a bone-headed idea. I just worry that this issue in combination with the other major ocean event could lead to some serious unforeseen problems. What says ATS..?



apnews.com...

a reply to: lostbook

Meh,,

a reply to: lostbook

Fair to say theyve been dumping radioactive water into the ocean since the beginning of the disaster, they don't have anything else they can do with it, so at least they're admiting dumping of the waste water, I guess.

If the oceans die, were not far behind.... not far at all.

a reply to: lostbook

Tritiated water is a radioactive form of water where the usual protium atoms are replaced with tritium. In its pure form it may be called tritium oxide (T2O or 3H2O) or super-heavy water.

Main hazards: Corrosive (C); Radioactive

You can't separate it easily because it becomes / is the water itself. Tritium is a radioactive Hydrogen atom.

Since tritium is a low energy beta emitter, it is not dangerous externally (its beta particles are unable to penetrate the skin),[25] but it can be a radiation hazard when inhaled, ingested via food or water, or absorbed through the skin.

It definitely is dangerous, but much less so than all these other radioactive elements.

Check this out:

Tritium has leaked from 48 of 65 nuclear sites in the US. In one case, leaking water contained 7.5 microcuries (280 kBq) of tritium per litre, which is 375 times the EPA limit for drinking water.[31]

Welcome to the realization that you've likely drank tritium more than once.

a reply to: lostbook

Cute that they act like this does not happen 24/7 anyways.

One day the world will look at the Japanese government and TEPCO... It will be known and understood that they did anything to save their faces but not so much being upfront and helpful to the situation.

Then they will lose their faces but before that, thousands had to die because of direct or indirect causes of the 2011 incident. Even more will have to struggle with genetics, as if Japan had not enough struggle with that already.

Ironically, the Japanese culture will be their own downfall. I am not blaming any Japanese people, I blame their government and first of all, TEPCO.

a reply to: Oleandra88

This is so much bigger than TEPCO or Japanese culture.

It's about the Spirit of mankind. We are corrupt, it is systemic in every govt in history. We are all a bit selfish, arrogant, and very uninformed of the consequences soon on their way.

No amount of blame will ever change this. Besides, we don't even know the full story yet.

a reply to: muzzleflash
The point I was trying to make was this:

TEPCO just unnecessary prolonged the disaster by trying to safe face. This will get back to them, it was totally useless move in this age of globalism / digital media and only did harm.

Their old ways and way of honor will be their demise.

a reply to: muzzleflash


Yet nuclear energy is promoted as cleaner and safer than coal...…...

a reply to: seeker1963

It is cleaner.

www.scientificamerican.com...

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: seeker1963

It is cleaner.

www.scientificamerican.com...

Then why after 100's of years burning coal is a nuclear leak a threat to life?

One thing for sure. We all know radiation from a nuclear accident destroys many life forms. I did construction and I know that coal dust is dangerous when inhaled, yet burning coal has been scientifically engineered to burn cleaner than back in the day. What has been done scientifically to reduce the harm of radiation poisoning?

Linking to a site called scientificamerican doesn't mean it's scientific.

Bottom line. I don't trust any one in this day and age who says it's based on science! Seen to much fraudulent political BS pushing an agenda as science when anyone with eyes and ears can see science has been compromised for political agendas.....

a reply to: seeker1963

Honestly it's because people don't understand nuclear energy or radiation.
It's the boogieman...
Doom porn rules.


Here are a few more links...


www.sciencefocus.com...

large.stanford.edu...

phys.org...

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: seeker1963

Honestly it's because people don't understand nuclear energy or radiation.
It's the boogieman...
Doom porn rules.

I can agree with that!

My issue is trust! In a world full of lies, I trust no one. Not even scientists. They have to prove to me they are acually scientists and not political hacks supporting an agenda. After hundreds of years of coal burning I haven't seen areas deemed off limits due to the burning of coal, but I sure as hell have seen areas cordoned off from radiation from nuclear contamination.

I respect your view, but at this point I am a bit jaded...

Since tritium is a low energy beta emitter, it is not dangerous externally (its beta particles are unable to penetrate the skin),[25] but it can be a radiation hazard when inhaled, ingested via food or water, or absorbed through the skin.

Which is it? Can it be absorbed through the skin or not?

a reply to: HalWesten

If it's mixed with DMSO,
probably so.

Regardless, we're not going to know the true damage that was done for decades. Then we'll look back and say gee, I guess we should have warned people.

a reply to: HalWesten

Well, Cs137 from nuclear tests is still detectable, but not much to worry about.

The Pacific is wide, and deep. A whole hell of a lot of water compared to what's in the tanks at Fukushima. I won't be eating fish from the area, but I'll eat anything I manage to catch here.

Living here, I can only say this "we are royally fkd". My wife's friend who retired from working at the plant years ago said this, "we don't have the technology" these days to handle this disaster. And he knows what he is talking about.
Currently, its crazy that they first allowed people to move back into area (some) . It was all preplanned to let people here believe radiated water is just nothing now to worry about. But the fisherman in the area say "BS". Sadly most are into their 70's. What the hell, right.

originally posted by: HalWesten

Since tritium is a low energy beta emitter, it is not dangerous externally (its beta particles are unable to penetrate the skin),[25] but it can be a radiation hazard when inhaled, ingested via food or water, or absorbed through the skin.

Which is it? Can it be absorbed through the skin or not?

Both. The radiation from the particles cannot penetrate the skin. The particles themselves can be absorbed by the skin.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: HalWesten

Well, Cs137 from nuclear tests is still detectable, but not much to worry about.

The Pacific is wide, and deep. A whole hell of a lot of water compared to what's in the tanks at Fukushima. I won't be eating fish from the area, but I'll eat anything I manage to catch here.

No 3-eyed fish, Phage? I hear they're really yummy! Lol