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Officials at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which acts as the operator of the crippled nuclear facility, say there is reason to believe some of the 12 tons of radioactive water has flowed into the Pacific Ocean.
A leak was found in a pipe attached to a temporary decontamination system. The water, once it has been used to cool the reactors, contains massive amounts of radioactive substances and is put into the water-processing facility so it can be recycled for use as a coolant.
"Our o
Tokyo Electric Power Co. said the leak was found early Thursday from a pipe attached to a temporary decontamination system, and the water had already gone through some of the cleansing process.
The water, once it has been used to cool the reactors, contains massive amounts of radioactive substances and is put into the water-processing facility so it can be recycled for use as a coolant.
"Our officials confirmed that cooling water leaked at a joint in the pipes," a TEPCO spokesman told AFP, adding that "it is possible that part of the water may have flowed outside the facility and poured into the ocean".
The leak has since been plugged, the spokesman added, saying the utility was probing the cause of the accident and how much, if any, water flowed into the Pacific.
The accident was the latest of several leaks of radioactive water at the troubled plant, undermining the government's claim made in December that the shuttered Fukushima reactors were now under control.
In one incident last month, about 120 tonnes of radioactive water leaked at the plant's water decontamination system and about 80 litres (21 gallons) seeped into the ocean, according to TEPCO.
Tepco has about 100,000 tons of highly radioactive water accumulated in basements at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear station nearly 13 months after the March 11 quake and tsunami caused meltdowns and the worst radiation leaks since Chernobyl. The tsunami knocked out all power at the station, causing cooling systems for reactors to fail. The utility was forced to set up makeshift pumps to get cooling water to the reactors, with most of it then draining into basements.
Originally posted by Maxmars
Interesting... I just saw another article... but it seemed more 'friendly' to TEPCO.... but the content was just as damning.....
Fukushima leak may have flowed into Pacific: TEPCO
Notice the "may have" .... nice PR work .....
Originally posted by MeesterB
There are approximately 780,304,610,890,880,000 tons of water in the pacific ocean.
12 tons of radioactive waste water gets dumped.... everyone flips out?
There are no acceptable levels of pollution, but it takes a lot of fear out of the situation when you realize just how big the pacific ocean is.
edit on 4/5/2012 by MeesterB because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by butcherguy
I seem to remember a few proponents of nuclear power calling myself and others fear mongers a year ago.
They don't seem to be around now, telling us that Fukushima is 'no big deal'.
Originally posted by Maxmars
Originally posted by MeesterB
There are approximately 780,304,610,890,880,000 tons of water in the pacific ocean.
12 tons of radioactive waste water gets dumped.... everyone flips out?
There are no acceptable levels of pollution, but it takes a lot of fear out of the situation when you realize just how big the pacific ocean is.
edit on 4/5/2012 by MeesterB because: (no reason given)
Presumably you are basing this on the idea that the particulate radioactive material instantly disperses evenly through the totality of the volume of water. I wish that were true...
...but over time, discounting the life forms that will internalize the material bringing it into the food chain, you are right - it will dissipate... over time