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15 thoughts on “For Farmers In Fukushima, Japan, Growing Uncertainty”
WSJ reports that the source of radiation that is now reached 40km into the ocean has been identified – “a 20-centimeter crack in a two-meter-deep chamber holding cables for the No. 2 reactor.”
“… but authorities weren’t able to say if the discovery will stop the continuing contamination …”
Chris Busby, who is a nuclear scientist and published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, much of which is on radiation and health, begins his March 28th article, “Some May be More Dangerous Than Radiation,” in Counter Punch this way:
“Since the Fukushima accident we have seen a stream of experts on radiation telling us not to worry, that the doses are too low, that the accident is nothing like Chernobyl and so forth. They appear on television and we read their articles in the newspapers and online. Fortunately the majority of the public don’t believe them. I myself have appeared on television and radio with these people; one example was Ian Fells of the University of Newcastle who, after telling us all on BBC News that the accident was nothing like Chernobyl (wrong), and the radiation levels of no consequence (wrong), that the main problem was that there was no electricity and that the lifts didn’t work. ‘If you have been in a situation when the lifts don’t work, as I have’ he burbled on, ‘you will know what I mean.’ You can see this interview on youtube and decide for yourself.
What these people have in common is ignorance. You may think a professor at a university must actually know something about their subject. But this is not so. Nearly all of these experts who appear and pontificate have not actually done any research on the issue of radiation and health. Or if they have, they seem to have missed all the key studies and references. I leave out the real baddies, who are closely attached to the nuclear industry, like Richard Wakeford, or Richard D as he calls himself on the anonymous website he has set up to attack me, ‘chrisbusbyexposed’….”
April 5th, page 1, NY Times:
“U.S. Sees Array of New Threats at Japan‚Äôs Nuclear Plant” by James Glanz & William Broad:
“United States government engineers sent to help with the crisis in Japan are warning that the troubled nuclear plant there is facing a wide array of fresh threats that could persist indefinitely [note!], and that in some cases are expected to increase [note!] as a result of the very measures being taken to keep the plant stable, according to a confidential assessment prepared by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. …”
Xeno, I try, but the updates are actually days behind. But, I think it’s important for all of us.
The following shocking news is from the L.A. Times (why the L.A. Times? Because the L.A. Times is not pro-nuc industry as much as the NY Times and the news networks that are owned by GE.)
“Japan’s ocean radiation hits 7.5 million times legal limit.” Kenji Hall and Julie Makinen, April 5, 2011
Normally, the federal (an adjective that might just as well be replaced by “industrial” ’cause at times it’s difficult to tell the difference) EPA is less than candid about radiation levels in drinking water, as a local investigative team in Houston has discovered:
“I-Team: EPA underreports radiation in America‚Äôs drinking water
Mark Greenblatt, 11 News khou.com
on February 21, 2011
Meanwhile, both the EPA and comparable agencies in Europe are raising the standards for radiation in food:
“… the new standards would result in a ‘nearly 1000-fold increase for exposure to strontium-90, a 3000 to 100,000-fold hike for exposure to iodine-131; and an almost 25,000 rise for exposure to radioactive nickel-63’ in drinking water.”
Now compare this with what the U.S. local, state and federal gov’ts did after Hurricane Katrina:
“Kan pledges to build 70,000 temporary houses,” April 10, 2011
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
“Prime Minister Naoto Kan has told the governor of quake-hit Miyagi Prefecture that the central government will build 70,000 temporary houses as quickly as possible. …”
Japan’s foreign minister, Takeaki Matsumoto, co-chaired a special ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta on the 9th.
“The summit has ostensibly been called to discuss Southeast Asian aid to Japan in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.”
However, there is …
“a hidden agenda to the meeting. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto will be representing the interests of the International Nuclear Energy Development of Japan Company (JINED), reassuring potential Southeast Asian clients of the safety of the nuclear power plants which JINED is marketing throughout the region.
JINED was formed in October 2010 to aggressively sell Japanese nuclear technology internationally. …
TEPCO holds a 20 percent share in JINED, making it the largest single stakeholder in the consortium.”
So, what if the failure of Japanese technology sprinkles the world with radiative dust and contaminates the Pacific with radioactive particles because of a predictable natural event? Business is business.
As Japan’s foreign minister Takeaki Matsumoto pitches Japanese nuclear technology abroad, …
“Japanese nuclear power plant operator TEPCO expects to stop pumping radioactive water into the ocean on Monday, days later than planned …”
Meanwhile,
“In Tokyo, around 5,000 people took to the streets in two separate anti-nuclear protests on Sunday. Some carried placards reading ‘No More Fukushima’ and ‘No Nukes’ …”
“Cs-134 was found in the pine needle samples (which are often used to indicate radioactive pollution in the atmosphere and vegetation) in addition to the isotopes Be-7, K -40, U-238, Th-232 and Cs-137 but the level of Cs-134 was very low and does not affect human health.”
And, …
Cesium-137 forecast shows high altitude radiation cloud concentrating over California, western US on April 12 (VIDEO)
April 11th, 2011
“Radiation risks from Fukushima ‘no longer negligible'” [fr]
11 April 2011
“The risks associated with iodine-131 contamination in Europe are no longer ‘negligible,’ according to CRIIRAD, a French research body on radioactivity. The NGO is advising pregnant women and infants against ‘risky behaviour,’ such as consuming fresh milk or vegetables with large leaves. …”
You know, it’s like no would have guessed that some day Japan, which lies along the earthquake-active “Pacific Rim of Fire,” would have an earthquake or tsunami that would disrupt a nuclear power plant.
Who would have known? Certainly not the myopic executives at TEPCO. So, why worry about any type of technology or real environmentally safe procedures that might be needed in case of an accident?
But, because of TEPCO’s lack of responsibility and foresight, the citizens of Japan end up paying:
For several years, there has been a debate on radiation and health among writers, some of whom are scientists. And, a few of these scientists actually publish scientific studies on radiation and health. As you can imagine, this debate has recently made media headlines.
I mentioned above Chris Busby as one such active scientist. Helen Caldicott is not a scientist per se, but a physician. She heads the “Caldicott Foundation for a Nuclear-Free Planet” and wrote “Nuclear Power is Not the Answer.”
She wrote an interesting and, I think, an instructive article in the Guardian (April 11th): “How nuclear apologists mislead the world over radiation.”
She, as does Busby, makes a distinction between external and internal radiation, a distinction which appears to be ignored by those who keep telling us a little radiation isn’t harmful.
A lot of writers refer to World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2005 report which states there were only a few human deaths directly due to and a few thousand fatal cancers that resulted from the fallout of the Chernobyl disaster. Caldicott explains why this assessment of the Chernobyl disaster is not only mistaken, but a gross underestimation.
WSJ reports that the source of radiation that is now reached 40km into the ocean has been identified – “a 20-centimeter crack in a two-meter-deep chamber holding cables for the No. 2 reactor.”
“… but authorities weren’t able to say if the discovery will stop the continuing contamination …”
[“Source of Toxic Water Found,” 4/2/11, WSJ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703712504576238143895170426.html?mod=googlenews_wsj ]
Here’s a site that continually monitors radiation in the U.S.:
Radiation Network http://radiationnetwork.com/
Chris Busby, who is a nuclear scientist and published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, much of which is on radiation and health, begins his March 28th article, “Some May be More Dangerous Than Radiation,” in Counter Punch this way:
“Since the Fukushima accident we have seen a stream of experts on radiation telling us not to worry, that the doses are too low, that the accident is nothing like Chernobyl and so forth. They appear on television and we read their articles in the newspapers and online. Fortunately the majority of the public don’t believe them. I myself have appeared on television and radio with these people; one example was Ian Fells of the University of Newcastle who, after telling us all on BBC News that the accident was nothing like Chernobyl (wrong), and the radiation levels of no consequence (wrong), that the main problem was that there was no electricity and that the lifts didn’t work. ‘If you have been in a situation when the lifts don’t work, as I have’ he burbled on, ‘you will know what I mean.’ You can see this interview on youtube and decide for yourself.
What these people have in common is ignorance. You may think a professor at a university must actually know something about their subject. But this is not so. Nearly all of these experts who appear and pontificate have not actually done any research on the issue of radiation and health. Or if they have, they seem to have missed all the key studies and references. I leave out the real baddies, who are closely attached to the nuclear industry, like Richard Wakeford, or Richard D as he calls himself on the anonymous website he has set up to attack me, ‘chrisbusbyexposed’….”
You might want to continue reading:
http://www.counterpunch.org/busby03282011.html
April 5th, page 1, NY Times:
“U.S. Sees Array of New Threats at Japan‚Äôs Nuclear Plant” by James Glanz & William Broad:
“United States government engineers sent to help with the crisis in Japan are warning that the troubled nuclear plant there is facing a wide array of fresh threats that could persist indefinitely [note!], and that in some cases are expected to increase [note!] as a result of the very measures being taken to keep the plant stable, according to a confidential assessment prepared by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. …”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/world/asia/06nuclear.html?_r=4&smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto
The crisis is hardly over.
Thanks for the updates Ann. It’s a long nightmare.
Xeno, I try, but the updates are actually days behind. But, I think it’s important for all of us.
The following shocking news is from the L.A. Times (why the L.A. Times? Because the L.A. Times is not pro-nuc industry as much as the NY Times and the news networks that are owned by GE.)
“Japan’s ocean radiation hits 7.5 million times legal limit.” Kenji Hall and Julie Makinen, April 5, 2011
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-nuclear-20110406%2C0%2C2697428.story
Forbes’ Jeff McMahon is the first to report increased radioactivity from Japan in U.S. drinking water (not rain water):
“First U.S. Drinking Water Samples Show Radiation from Japan: Boise, Richland Wa.” Apr. 5 2011
http://blogs.forbes.com/jeffmcmahon/2011/04/05/first-u-s-drinking-water-samples-show-radiation-from-japan-boise-richland-wa/
Normally, the federal (an adjective that might just as well be replaced by “industrial” ’cause at times it’s difficult to tell the difference) EPA is less than candid about radiation levels in drinking water, as a local investigative team in Houston has discovered:
“I-Team: EPA underreports radiation in America‚Äôs drinking water
Mark Greenblatt, 11 News khou.com
on February 21, 2011
http://www.khou.com/news/investigative/I-Team-EPA-under-reports-radiation-in-Americas-drinking-water-.html
Xeno, you shouldn’t have encouraged me!
Good news and bad:
Daiichi plant leak plugged but further blast feared, April 7, 2011
David McNeill, Irish Times
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2011/0407/1224294096050.html
Meanwhile, both the EPA and comparable agencies in Europe are raising the standards for radiation in food:
“… the new standards would result in a ‘nearly 1000-fold increase for exposure to strontium-90, a 3000 to 100,000-fold hike for exposure to iodine-131; and an almost 25,000 rise for exposure to radioactive nickel-63’ in drinking water.”
April 5, 2011 Brandon Turbeville
America and EU Agree: Raise Radiation Levels for Food
http://www.activistpost.com/2011/04/eu-follows-epa-raises-acceptable.html
It was reported that leak has been plugged, but …
Japan to pump radioactive water into sea until Sunday
S. Saoshiro,Y. Kubota, Reuters
Saturday, 9 April 2011
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/japan-to-pump-radioactive-water-into-sea-until-sunday-2265575.html
And, of course, this would cause …
Water radiation levels rise north of nuke plant
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
April 08, 2011
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/08_39.html
And, this then would cause ….
China, Russia concern over contaminated water
Japan Broadcasting Corporation April 08, 2011
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/08_38.html
Meanwhile in the U.S. …
Radiation Detected In Drinking Water In 13 More US Cities, Cesium-137 In Vermont Milk
Forbes blogger Jeff McMahon
Apr. 9 2011
http://blogs.forbes.com/jeffmcmahon/2011/04/09/radiation-detected-in-drinking-water-in-13-more-us-cities-cesium-137-in-vermont-milk/
Now compare this with what the U.S. local, state and federal gov’ts did after Hurricane Katrina:
“Kan pledges to build 70,000 temporary houses,” April 10, 2011
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
“Prime Minister Naoto Kan has told the governor of quake-hit Miyagi Prefecture that the central government will build 70,000 temporary houses as quickly as possible. …”
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/10_14.html
Japan’s foreign minister, Takeaki Matsumoto, co-chaired a special ASEAN-Japan Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta on the 9th.
“The summit has ostensibly been called to discuss Southeast Asian aid to Japan in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.”
However, there is …
“a hidden agenda to the meeting. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto will be representing the interests of the International Nuclear Energy Development of Japan Company (JINED), reassuring potential Southeast Asian clients of the safety of the nuclear power plants which JINED is marketing throughout the region.
JINED was formed in October 2010 to aggressively sell Japanese nuclear technology internationally. …
TEPCO holds a 20 percent share in JINED, making it the largest single stakeholder in the consortium.”
So, what if the failure of Japanese technology sprinkles the world with radiative dust and contaminates the Pacific with radioactive particles because of a predictable natural event? Business is business.
Japan promotes its nuclear industry at special ASEAN summit
By Joseph Santolan
9 April 2011
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/apr2011/asea-a09.shtml
As Japan’s foreign minister Takeaki Matsumoto pitches Japanese nuclear technology abroad, …
“Japanese nuclear power plant operator TEPCO expects to stop pumping radioactive water into the ocean on Monday, days later than planned …”
Meanwhile,
“In Tokyo, around 5,000 people took to the streets in two separate anti-nuclear protests on Sunday. Some carried placards reading ‘No More Fukushima’ and ‘No Nukes’ …”
WRAP UP 1-Japan fails to stop radioactive discharge into ocean
Reuters
Yoko Kubota and Kiyoshi Takenaka
Tokyo, April 11/Apr 10, 2011
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/10/japan-idUSL3E7FA05820110410
VOV News, April 11, 2011:
“Strongest radioactive cloud covers Vietnam”
“Cs-134 was found in the pine needle samples (which are often used to indicate radioactive pollution in the atmosphere and vegetation) in addition to the isotopes Be-7, K -40, U-238, Th-232 and Cs-137 but the level of Cs-134 was very low and does not affect human health.”
And, …
Cesium-137 forecast shows high altitude radiation cloud concentrating over California, western US on April 12 (VIDEO)
April 11th, 2011
http://enenews.com/cesium-137-forecast-shows-high-altitude-radiation-cloud-concentrate-over-western-us-on-april-12-video
“Radiation risks from Fukushima ‘no longer negligible'” [fr]
11 April 2011
“The risks associated with iodine-131 contamination in Europe are no longer ‘negligible,’ according to CRIIRAD, a French research body on radioactivity. The NGO is advising pregnant women and infants against ‘risky behaviour,’ such as consuming fresh milk or vegetables with large leaves. …”
Huh? How did the fallout skip over the U.S.?
http://www.euractiv.com/en/health/radiation-risks-fukushima-longer-negligible-news-503947
The Japanese gov’t raised the crisis level of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant accident from 5 to 7, the worst on the international scale.
The same as Chernobyl.
Apr. 12
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
“Japan to raise Fukushima crisis level to worst”
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20110412/t10015249911000.html
You know, it’s like no would have guessed that some day Japan, which lies along the earthquake-active “Pacific Rim of Fire,” would have an earthquake or tsunami that would disrupt a nuclear power plant.
Who would have known? Certainly not the myopic executives at TEPCO. So, why worry about any type of technology or real environmentally safe procedures that might be needed in case of an accident?
But, because of TEPCO’s lack of responsibility and foresight, the citizens of Japan end up paying:
TEPCO receives total $24 bil. emergency loans
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Apr. 12
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/12_01.html
This kind of reminds me of the corporate bailouts in the U.S.
When will taxpayers of the U.S., Japan and elsewhere finally get tired of corporate socialism and make their gov’t favor them, the people?
For several years, there has been a debate on radiation and health among writers, some of whom are scientists. And, a few of these scientists actually publish scientific studies on radiation and health. As you can imagine, this debate has recently made media headlines.
I mentioned above Chris Busby as one such active scientist. Helen Caldicott is not a scientist per se, but a physician. She heads the “Caldicott Foundation for a Nuclear-Free Planet” and wrote “Nuclear Power is Not the Answer.”
She wrote an interesting and, I think, an instructive article in the Guardian (April 11th): “How nuclear apologists mislead the world over radiation.”
She, as does Busby, makes a distinction between external and internal radiation, a distinction which appears to be ignored by those who keep telling us a little radiation isn’t harmful.
A lot of writers refer to World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2005 report which states there were only a few human deaths directly due to and a few thousand fatal cancers that resulted from the fallout of the Chernobyl disaster. Caldicott explains why this assessment of the Chernobyl disaster is not only mistaken, but a gross underestimation.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/11/nuclear-apologists-radiation