A piece of combing! The whole story of Japan’s forced dumping of nuclear polluted water into the sea
Fukushima nuclear polluted water in Japan
How to produce it?
Affected by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011, the cores of Units 1-3 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan melted down. This is one of the most serious nuclear accidents in the world so far.
After the accident, Tokyo Electric Power Company continued to inject water into the containment of Units 1 to 3 to cool the reactor core and recover sewage.
There are three main sources of radioactive wastewater from Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan:
● The original coolant of the reactor
● Newly injected water for continuous cooling of the core after the accident.
● A large amount of groundwater and rainwater seeping into the reactor.
According to CCTV financial reports in March 2023, the storage capacity in the nuclear power plant is 1.37 million tons, and now the nuclear polluted water has increased to 1.32 million tons, which is close to saturation.
Why does Japan ignore the opposition?
Pushing nuclear polluted water into the sea?
● It is declared that the capacity of storage tanks for nuclear polluted water is about to reach the upper limit.
TEPCO claims that the area of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is limited, and there is no more open space for building a large number of water storage tanks. The existing storage capacity of 1.37 million tons of water storage tanks will all be used up this autumn. Moreover, in the event of a major earthquake, a large amount of nuclear contaminated water is at risk of leakage, so it has to be filtered, purified and diluted before being discharged into the sea.
● The cost of "discharging pollutants into the sea" is lower
In the report issued by the Japanese government expert group, five schemes have been put forward, such as injecting into the stratum, discharging into the sea, steam emission, electrolytic release and solidification landfill. The cost shows that it costs the least to be discharged into the ocean.
● Japan is unwilling to bear the maintenance cost of waste water tanks.
According to some analysts, it can be seen from satellite images that the first batch of waste water tanks have been rusted, and it is a matter of time before they are replaced. This is also a big expense. The Japanese government discharged nuclear polluted water into the ocean not because of lack of space, but because it was unwilling to bear the maintenance cost.
● Or closely related to Japan’s energy strategy.
In response to the growing power shortage, the Japanese government is actively considering restarting the nuclear power plant despite the pain of the nuclear power plant accident. Some analysts said that how to deal with the nuclear polluted water in Fukushima is a weather vane for similar nuclear pollution accidents in the future. If the nuclear polluted water is treated according to scientific and environmental standards, it is equivalent to deterring future investment in nuclear power.
Japan’s plan to discharge nuclear polluted water into the sea
Major time axis
● April 13, 2021
The Japanese government officially decided to filter and dilute the Fukushima nuclear polluted water and discharge it into the sea.
● July 22, 2022
The Japan Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission officially approved the Tokyo Electric Power Company’s plan to discharge nuclear polluted water into the sea after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
● August 4, 2022
According to Tokyo Electric Power Company of Japan, the project of discharging nuclear polluted water containing tritium and other radioactive substances stored in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the sea has officially started today.
● June 26, 2023
The Tokyo Electric Power Company of Japan said that the construction of the submarine tunnel for discharging the nuclear polluted water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been completed.
● August 22, 2023
After the relevant cabinet meeting, the Japanese government announced that it would start the discharge of nuclear polluted water from Fukushima on August 24th. According to the plan, the discharge of nuclear polluted water from Fukushima will last at least 30 years.
The consequences are endless!
What is the harm of nuclear polluted water discharged into the sea?
● Radioactive substances spread widely, causing radioactive pollution.
First of all, Japan’s Pacific coastal waters will be affected, especially the local waters around Fukushima Prefecture. After that, sewage will pollute the East China Sea.
The German marine scientific research institute pointed out that the Fukushima coast has the strongest ocean current in the world.
Within 57 days from the date of discharge: radioactive materials will spread to most parts of the Pacific Ocean;
Three years later: the United States and Canada will be affected by nuclear pollution;
Ten years later: spread to the global waters.
The above is the simulation effect diagram of German marine scientific research on the diffusion speed and influence of nuclear polluted water. As can be seen from the figure, radioactive substances will continue to spread over time, and then spread to the global waters. Source: GEOMAR
● Long-term impact on biodiversity
After treatment, the nuclear polluted water still has a high concentration of radioactive tritium, which cannot be eliminated. After being discharged into the ocean, tritium will also produce low-intensity beta rays, which may affect the biodiversity of fish, plankton, benthos, birds and so on for a long time.
● Impact on the marine environment and public health of neighboring countries.
The evaluation report of the expert group of the International Atomic Energy Agency clearly pointed out that if the tritium-containing wastewater from Fukushima nuclear power plant is discharged into the sea, it will have an impact on the marine environment and public health of neighboring countries, and at the same time, the existing treated wastewater still contains other radionuclides, which needs further purification.
Low negative effects exist for a long time, or cause genetic damage.
Greenpeace nuclear experts pointed out that the carbon 14 contained in Japanese nuclear polluted water was dangerous for thousands of years, and it may cause genetic damage.
"Japan’s selfish behavior should be condemned by all mankind"
Many parties strongly oppose the discharge of nuclear polluted water into the sea.
● At the same time that the Japanese government officially announced that the Fukushima nuclear polluted water would be discharged into the sea on August 24th, in front of the Prime Minister’s residence in Tokyo, the Japanese people spontaneously held a rally to oppose the Fukushima nuclear polluted water being discharged into the sea.
● 韩国正义党党首李贞味6月26日开始在日本驻韩国大使馆前举行抗议，要求日本撤回核污染水排海计划。韩国市民团体“阻止日本放射性污染水排海全国行动”在首尔市政府附近举行大规模集会，数千人参加。
● 斐济南太平洋岛国亚洲研究院院长约瑟夫·维拉姆对人民日报记者表示：“在未充分论证其他可行处置方案的前提下，直接选定了核污染水排海计划，日本自私自利行为应该受到全人类谴责。”
● 8月22日，中国外交部副部长孙卫东表示，这一行径公然向包括中国在内的周边国家和国际社会转嫁核污染风险、将一己私利凌驾于地区和世界各国民众长远福祉之上，极其自私自利，极不负责任。
海鲜还能吃吗？
核污染水排海对日常生活有何影响？
● 长期看来，对食品、护肤品、衣服等有一定影响
放射性同位素是挥发性的物质，不单单污染海洋，它可以存在于土壤、空气中，所以对农产品、日用品都会产生一定的影响。也就是说，无论是食品、还是护肤品、衣物等，长期看来，都会受到一定影响。但如果进行有效监管，还是可以买到安全的产品的。针对大众，建议在国内正规渠道购买核辐射残留检测合格的进口产品。
—— Professor Wu Wei, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Capital Medical University
● Seafood may be affected to varying degrees.
Seafood, whether deep-sea or offshore, may be polluted and affected to varying degrees. Whether it can meet the requirements of food safety needs careful testing.
—— Professor of Shanghai University of Political Science and Law Yang Hua, President of the Marine Rule of Law Research Association of Shanghai Law Society
● Or it will harm the table safety.
The related hazards will eventually endanger the table safety of each of us and seriously threaten the health of all mankind.
-Sun Dawen, Professor of Food and biosystems engineering, University of Dublin.
● Increased risk of local cancer in human body.
After radioactive substances enter the human body, there are various destruction paths. For example, strontium will invade bones, and even a small amount will cause great damage to local organs, and the risk of local cancer will increase.
-Seiji Goto, a Japanese engineering and technical expert
High vigilance!
Take all necessary measures in time.
China Customs:
● It is forbidden to import food from ten counties (capitals) such as Fukushima, Japan.
● Strictly review the attached supporting documents for foods from other parts of Japan, especially aquatic products (including edible aquatic animals), strengthen supervision, strictly implement 100% inspection, and continuously strengthen the detection and monitoring of radioactive substances.
● We will maintain high vigilance and take all necessary measures in time according to the development of the situation.
Hong Kong SAR Government:
● Since August 24th, the import of aquatic products from 10 prefectures in Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama has been banned, including all live, frozen, refrigerated, dried or otherwise preserved aquatic products, sea salt and unprocessed or processed seaweed.
● The Hong Kong Food Safety Center will strengthen the detection of Japanese food, and the Environment Bureau will announce the radiation detection results of food and water areas every day.
Macao SAR Government:
● From August 24, 2023, it is forbidden to import fresh food, animal-derived food, sea salt and seaweed, including vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy products, aquatic products and aquatic products, and meat, from 10 prefectures and districts in Fukushima, Chiba, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Gunma, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano, saitama and Tokyo.
● Enhance the inspection of articles carried by people who enter Macao by air from Japan to prevent relevant food from flowing into Macao.
● Strengthen the monitoring of radioactive substances in imported food from Japan at import and retail levels, and publish the radiation detection data of imported food from Japan every day.
(Organized and synthesized from People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, Voice of China, Customs Release, Life Times, The Paper, etc.)