If Radiation From Fukushima is Killing the Planet, How Are They Giving Tours?

This post is not meant to be sarcastic in any way, I am genuinely curious.

I see post after post and have read through many a website and blog all telling me and the rest of the world that the radiation being let loose from Fukushima Daichi is killing the planet. I read that the radiation is so high that they cant even get robots near the place before they fizzle out and die. I've read all sorts of scary things about this place that actually had me fairly worried for awhile and ended up spending quite a bit of time looking into the ins and outs of radiation trying to get a better feel for the truth of the matter. I live in Portland which is one of the supposedly hardest hit areas in the US so you can probably understand why I took this a little more seriously then most of the crazy paranoid stuff I read on here.

And then I read a story about the senator from Oregon who visited the plant and took a tour. Really? A tour? How can that be possible? Turns out TEPCO is giving tours of the place to all sorts of important people, I assume they are doing this in order to alleviate these important people's fears of dying a slow and painful radiation induced death and convince them that TEPCO has everything under control.

I figured they must be really far away from the place, perhaps with a huge pair of binoculars or maybe even in a helicopter or something flying far and above the plant. But nope, they are walking right next to the reactor.
See here:



How is this possible? I understand they poured a ton of seawater onto the rods to keep them cool and all that went into the ocean, which I still believe is going to be devastating in one form or another, but how are they walking next to the plant? The ocean was never the sole issue, I've seen plenty of fear mongering about the radiation spewing from the place going into the atmosphere and poisoning a huge portion of the US and elsewhere and I'm just not seeing that happening at the moment if these guys can walk around the plant in a plastic suit and respirator.

It has been said many times that this is worse then Chernobyl. I'm pretty sure all the people who took part in sealing that place up all died horrible deaths. Back then many of those people were ignorant to the dangers of radiation but the same cant be said for those walking around Fukushima. I doubt all of them would be sacrificing their lives in order to help TEPCO save face.

So whats really going on here?

reply to post by PlausibleDeniability


From what I have read currently its dangerous, but it will get catastrophic if it overheats and explodes. So currently you can visit but if nothing is done there will be a big problem.

Yes they are taking tours. I think that the radiation suits give away the game. Radiation suits will prevent radiation for a while. I would imagine that the tours are fairly quick. It would not be a day pass. They are also not 'right up next to the building.

Workers have died! They have died while working, not ten years later. That area is HOT! I would not even go on the tour, radiation suit not withstanding.

P

reply to post by pheonix358


Heavy duty radiation suits and limited exposure for sure -- And it's not like they're giving tours regularly. They are very, very rare.

Senator Wyden's take on the situation (post tour) -

After an onsite tour of what remains of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear facilities, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, sent a letter to Japanese Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki saying,

“The scope of damage to the plants and to the surrounding area was far beyond what I expected. The precarious status of the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear units and the risk presented by the enormous inventory of radioactive materials and spent fuel in the event of further earthquake threats should be of concern to all and a focus of greater international support and assistance.”

the-tap.blogspot.com...

I agree with his sentiments BUT:

I don't see how the mess can be cleaned up. The USSR did it at extreme cost in lives and I am very certain that the workers they used were not told of the inherent dangers of the task.

I don't see how the Japanese can use the same scheme.

If people cannot operate inside the reactor buildings and we know that robots get fried, then, how do we fix it. The unpalatable answer may simply be, we can't. Not yet. We do not have the technology to deal with it. As hot as those fuel rods are it would probably take a life per rod to move them.

The pile of fuel rods in reactor four will come down and burn. I cannot see any other outcome. That is apart from the fact that they are exposed to and irradiating the atmosphere as we speak.

At this point in time there is no viable solution. All the international help in the world will not change the basic facts. This is why International help is not forthcoming. There is no help because there is no solution.

P

This is a campaign to try and save the tourism industry in Fukushima. It IS still extremely detrimental to your heath to go there. They dont care about your health they care about their money. This disaster has never been managed as a health issue its always been about costing the least amount of money. Those white radiation suits you see people wearing DOES NOT prevent exposure to radiation at all. Beta particles maby but Alpha and Gama go right threw them. They stop the radioactive isotopes that produce the radiation from sticking to your skin/clothes. They finally opened up Chernobyl to tourism but that was 25 years later and I would still not go there. This is people trying to save face. Not people trying to save people. Its quite ridiculous that they are even doing this.

Anti-Nuclear Lobby + Money = Global fear campaign.

Truth is left by the wayside for everyone unfortunately.

Originally posted by BriGuyTM90
This is a campaign to try and save the tourism industry in Fukushima. It IS still extremely detrimental to your heath to go there. They dont care about your health they care about their money. This disaster has never been managed as a health issue its always been about costing the least amount of money. Those white radiation suits you see people wearing DOES NOT prevent exposure to radiation at all. Beta particles maby but Alpha and Gama go right threw them. They stop the radioactive isotopes that produce the radiation from sticking to your skin/clothes. They finally opened up Chernobyl to tourism but that was 25 years later and I would still not go there. This is people trying to save face. Not people trying to save people. Its quite ridiculous that they are even doing this.

Do you think they are getting paid money for the tours. I hope you can support that! The tours are for people just like the US Senator and for scientists and others to try and devise a solution. Whatever gave you the idea that it is all for tourism!

P

Originally posted by pheonix358
I agree with his sentiments BUT:

At this point in time there is no viable solution. All the international help in the world will not change the basic facts. This is why International help is not forthcoming. There is no help because there is no solution.

P

edit on 31-5-2012 by pheonix358 because: error, the world ends in 5....4...3..2..1

There might not be a cure all for this. But there is a lot more that they could have and still could be doing. Its not that International help wouldn't help, its that no one care about this and are trying to make it into a non issue. The WHO is not a non bias group nor is the NRC. Both of these "regulation" organizations where created to PROMOTE nuclear power (its even in the WHOs charter that they are to promote nuclear power). So they want to make this accident seem as miniscule as possible.

They are giving tours because they are trying to tell people it is not that bad.

As for killing the planet, that's a little out there. The planet has survived another planet running into it, as well as huge asteroids running into it.

Life will adapt. It always has and it always will. Whether humans will adapt if the planet get engulfed with radiation is one thing, but, nature will survive. The planet will be around and thriving long after humans have our little run.

Fukushima is bad, yes, but the chemicals you ingest, inhale and come in contact everyday are much worse.

I am by no means a super educated person regarding radiation but in my studies of particle physics I have touched upon the subject.

There was a large dirty bomb released naturally millions of years ago in Africa and life survived it...

Pred...

reply to post by pheonix358


This article is about scientist but the bigger issue is that there is a active campaign to promote tourism to Fukushima prefecture. Its absolutely absurd to give people a false sense of security just to save your own but. Some parts of Tokyo are contaminated worse than the permanent exclusion zone in Chernobyl.

reply to post by PlausibleDeniability

Plausible Deniability. Thats a good Tepco frame of mind. One picture? Released by Tepco? Okay... difficult to make a distinction either way. They are in complete charge of dissemination of information.

But think about it. Essentially there has been a complete blackout of information in the MSM, correct? What does that tell you? Where are the sites to go to that tell us about local detection of any stuff in our air, food and water?

And I mean local, not Fukushima. Streaming updated wind capture, grocery store detectors in the vegetable isle, "for your convenience". Local news traffic alerts and Contamination Updates during rush hour? They got cameras everywhere that watch us all day long. You think they would install some detectors along the way.

How about letters home from school about the certification of Isotope and Rad Nuclide cleanliness on your children's school playground?

You see where this is heading? There is no proof by Internet one way or the other either. If you live in Oregon, I would be concerned too. Buy a detector. Drop the coin on a good one and learn how to use it. It should detect Alpha, Beta and Gamma Rays. This situation is ongoing and as far as we are concerned only beginning to unfold.

The only way to be sure of your local environment from now on is to be able to measure the ground on which you live and the food and water which you consume on a daily basis.

"Wow honey... look at how hot this head of lettuce is, lol."
"Better not eat that...

Its either
A. Secure the spent rods
or
B. Someone build a device that prevent any earthquake (7.5+) to happen.
or
C We hope for Billy's UFO to give us a hand.

Really, someone needs to find solutions, at all cost.
Its so grim when you think about it. Asking an extremely active seismic region to quiet down.
I dont think the building of R 4 could withstand a 8 + on the Richter scale, let alone the spent fuel rods to cold down after such an event. We are talking about MOX fuel I believe. 10, 20, 30 years? With the Sword of Damocles hanging over our head. ..I wish i'm wrong, I truly do.

Originally posted by eagleeye2
Its either
A. Secure the spent rods
or
B. Someone build a device that prevent any earthquake (7.5+) to happen.
or
C We hope for Billy's UFO to give us a hand.

Really, someone needs to find solutions, at all cost.
Its so grim when you think about it. Asking an extremely active seismic region to quiet down.
I dont think the building of R 4 could withstand a 8 + on the Richter scale, let alone the spent fuel rods to cold down after such an event. We are talking about MOX fuel I believe. 10, 20, 30 years? With the Sword of Damocles hanging over our head. ..I wish i'm wrong, I truly do.

MOX (conatining U and Pu) doesn't really matter all nuclear reactors produce plutonium in large amounts by neutron absorption. ALL of these reactor have released plutonium into the environment not just #3. Its funny how the nuclear industry forgets to mention that. But I totally agree with you this should be the main issue to every person on this planet.

reply to post by BriGuyTM90


I understand, these suits do not block radiation completely. Nothing does (that we can wear). So are these people all killing themselves simply to save face? Wyden took the tour, why would he do that if it meant harming himself. I'm sure he had a pretty good intel briefing supplied by the wonderful guys in the US intelligence field prior to going there, and I'm sure they would tell him if it was a suicide trip...

So I guess the area is dangerous but not dangerous enough to kill you (quickly). They aren't walking 2 feet away from the place but compared to Chernobyl they might as well be. No one could have done this after that disaster and yet Fukushima is supposed to be worse. The spent fuel rod pools are a BIG issue, I get that. If they go we are most definitely screwed. That worries me a whole damned lot.

But as of right now, at this very moment, how is Fukushima Daichi killing me and my family from thousands of miles away if these guys can stand right next to it (granted, in radiation suits, but still...)?

I am trying to break through the fog of fear mongering as well as the BS "everything is fine, go back to sleep" garbage being spouted by the PTB and corrupt corporations. I want to know the black and white TRUTH of this issue both for me and everybody else trying to wade through this mess.

reply to post by PlausibleDeniability


No one could have done this after that disaster. Wormwood.
actually about 400,000 soldiers ,,volunter's did just that.

No one could have done this after that disaster.,,,400,000. Russian Volunteer's,,
one American Volunteer.

ya.
p.s anyone see Chernoble Diaries yet?

scary?

Originally posted by PlausibleDeniability
reply to post by BriGuyTM90

 

I understand, these suits do not block radiation completely. Nothing does (that we can wear). So are these people all killing themselves simply to save face? Wyden took the tour, why would he do that if it meant harming himself. I'm sure he had a pretty good intel briefing supplied by the wonderful guys in the US intelligence field prior to going there, and I'm sure they would tell him if it was a suicide trip...

So I guess the area is dangerous but not dangerous enough to kill you (quickly). They aren't walking 2 feet away from the place but compared to Chernobyl they might as well be. No one could have done this after that disaster and yet Fukushima is supposed to be worse. The spent fuel rod pools are a BIG issue, I get that. If they go we are most definitely screwed. That worries me a whole damned lot.

But as of right now, at this very moment, how is Fukushima Daichi killing me and my family from thousands of miles away if these guys can stand right next to it (granted, in radiation suits, but still...)?

I am trying to break through the fog of fear mongering as well as the BS "everything is fine, go back to sleep" garbage being spouted by the PTB and corrupt corporations. I want to know the black and white TRUTH of this issue both for me and everybody else trying to wade through this mess.

The answer to your first is when I said people are trying to save face I meant TEPCO and the Japanese Gov. For the answer to your second question you would have to ask him and I never said it was a suicide trip. And no it wont kill you extremely quickly. Theres something called the Latent Period of cancer which can be any wear from 5-60years. Now when you say compared to Chernobyl they might as well be, when Fuku first started the radiation onsite would have been right up there with Chernobyl. And yes people were walking around the Chernobyl site after the accident. If doses are high enoph you can die from acute radiation sickness and the fire fighters that died at Chernobyl from this where just unaware of the dangers and had no monitoring equipment to tell them were not to go. At Fuku they had monitors so when readings started getting high they got out of that area. now on to your comment about your family. Its not that its killing you and them its that this could cause you and your loved ones serious health issues down the line. These radio active Isotopes are being released into the atmosphere and are carried by the wind and then fall out and it is a possibility that they end up some where in your body. Another example of how it gets to you is Bio-accumulation. This isn't a personnel health issue here in the US its a public health issue. Now you may never be effected by this but there are lots of people that are going to be. But I would take precautions against it such as giving your children Potassium supplements which stops the uptake of Cs into the body. Cs damages muscles tissues and can cause heart problems in young people. I am not Fear Mongering just trying to inform people on a topic that can be quite scary.

Many People on both Sides have a wrong Imagination about the Circumstances in Fuku-Daiichi!

According to our Sources: www.tepco.co.jp...
the amount of Radiation is low, West-gate and East-gate of the Plant reported ca. 1.5 Microsieverts/h,
this is much lower than in the rest of Fukushima Prefecture!

Directly in front of the Reactor this is going up to ca. 200 Microsieverts/ hour,
a protective Gear is mandatory but working is possible.

Here is a Reportage from the last Week, 330 Microsieverts

More: www.fukushima311watchdogs.org...

Originally posted by PlausibleDeniability

And then I read a story about the senator from Oregon who visited the plant and took a tour. Really? A tour? How can that be possible? Turns out TEPCO is giving tours of the place to all sorts of important people

So whats really going on here?

Japan is trying to kill important people using biowarfare in a peaceful manner. You will see these important people die from cancer sometime in the future regardless if they are wearing Made in China radioactive gear.

So if something does not look normal... then? Photoshop... Syria Danny, BBC mockups... well welcome to faux reality.