Post Fukushima. Where Now for Nuclear Power?

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

Hi all

I am fully aware of what the penetration ranges of Alpha Beta and Gama sources are.

Whether it is Beta radiation penetrating into your bone marrow in the long bones of your legs or an Alpha source ingested in to your lungs or a gama source running through your liver

99.9% of beta radiation penetrates no further than 1mm in tissue externally (10mm max) so no you got that a little wrong. It can only cause superficial burns to the surface of the skin. If you don't mind I will point out exactly how you got confused there:

What does strontium-90 do once it gets into the body?

When people ingest Sr-90, about 70-80% of it passes through the body. Virtually all of the remaining 20-30% that is absorbed is deposited in the bone. About 1% is distributed among the blood volume, extracellular fluid, soft tissue, and surface of the bone, where it may stay and decay or be excreted.

It has to enter the body to affect bone marrow and the partacular hazard for that is Strontium-90 (same group as Calcium). As workers are wearing protective clothing and respirators it can only have an external effect. So as you can see a worker can stand on the beta emitting hotspot in protective boots and have no effects. They obviously wouldn't do that to avoid spreading the contamination further. The press got it wrong because they reprint nonsense they find on the web and don't understand the science.

You will notice today the Guardian have started to partially correct themselves using the information I gave you yesterday above, but still flaunt the "death in four hours" bullshit because they don't understand the science and don't know the difference between effective dose and equivalent dose ;):

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/02/fukushima-japan-action-nuclear-cleanup

Most of the radiation in the most recent incident – measured at 1,800 millisieverts an hour – was emitted in the form of beta rays, it said. Beta radiation travels only a short distance and can be blocked by a thin sheet of metal, such as aluminium

Edited September 2, 2013 by Mattar_Tharkari

[walker 0]

Hi all

In reply to Mattar_Thakari.

:j:

There are several inacuracies or missunderstandings in your description of beta radiation penetration. It seems to me you have chosen your data or only seen that data which supports your view. You seem to be basing your assesment on the properties of a beta emmiter such as Yttrium 90 or Phosphorus 32, these to two isotopes do indeed have milimeter penetration into acrylic, though you should be using water as that is a closer human analogue.

The range of penetration is modeled as an averaged curve based on several factors, strength of the electron emmitter and density of the target. Primarily we are concerned with though are for strontium-90, iodine-131, caesium-134 and caesium-137 as these are primary isotopes in a nuclear accedent assuming no loss of main contaiment and no China syndrome and these have pentration ranges in the 3 to 5 centimetre range. As you can see I am being generous.

Note my use of averaged curve that is because the path of the electron is dependent on the chance of hitting another atom in the target substance. The less dense the substance the further into the target the electron penetrates and the stronger the emmiter the more energy it has to pentrate the target and so in both cases the further it goes. Note also my use of the word chance, because the model is statistical, what this all means is that some electrons pass further in to the target others progress less far and the figures you are using are based on a statistical average not the real effect.

And of course most importantly 3cm to 5 cm is not a couple of mm so choosing isotopes with low keV, or the low keV range of an element, or only seeing data that supports your argument is inacurate and seems at best to be inatentive to detail and might be considered hand waving.

This may help you understand:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=OfqdTC6deZkC&pg=PA19&lpg=PA19&dq=beta+particle+range+in+air&source=bl&ots=D7gm8TeI3a&sig=zmcdrOUSl5NVqqfDl_oPfOvhRCA&hl=en&ei=yN7MSfvZDprNlQfnqtXQCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=beta%20particle%20range%20in%20air&f=false

On another note after having read the above and considered its implications, would you care to show me the map of Neutron emmision levels at Fukushima :)

Kind Regards walker

Edited September 2, 2013 by walker

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

Why don't you read some Health Physics texts before you make yourself look even more ridiculous or are we deliberately trolling with incorrect info again? That is the field here, health effects of ionizing radiation on the human body, no need to substitute water, the tables are already there for human tissue and the energy of beta decay for each of the various isotopes is known.

I picked strontium 90 because it's an almost pure Beta emitter and we were discussing Beta radiation, Yttrium 90 or Phosphorus 32 emit beta particles with 3-4 times more energy than Sr-90 so they penetrate further into human tissue 8-11mm (max) 2-2.5mm (mean).

You are also using the wrong units, it's more correct to express the energy in terms of MeV, saves writing all those zeros. You didn't understand the book you read.......

Health Physics Society

Beta radiation is a light, short-range particle and is actually an ejected electron. Some characteristics of beta radiation are:

Beta radiation may travel several feet in air and is moderately penetrating.

Beta radiation can penetrate human skin to the "germinal layer," where new skin cells are produced. If high levels of beta-emitting contaminants are allowed to remain on the skin for a prolonged period of time, they may cause skin injury.

Beta-emitting contaminants may be harmful if deposited internally.

Clothing provides some protection against beta radiation.

http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/faqs/radiationtypes.html

Didn't you ever see that experiment in high school where a teacher would place different materials between a radioactive source and a counter? Most people learn about the general penetrative characteristics of ionizing radiation at that stage (or did until all sources removed for safety) and usually it's effects on human tissue are explained at the same time, you are arguing against a fact that was/is taught to school children?

Edited September 2, 2013 by Mattar_Tharkari

[Rovka 14]

I believe that not all is honestly taught at highschool level. Much is saved for University grade students specializing in Nuclear Physics.. Most folks don't make it to University, let alone opt for a degree in Nuclear Physics! And that's what causes the blind spot, with people believing everything that government subsidized/bribed experts have to say Who's bread you eat, who's word you speak.. To my opinion the Japanese phishing branche is too ill informed about long term effects on (local) marine life, so they still catch radiated phish and crustatians, etc.

Same could be said for the exclusion zone, people living just outside its border apparantly mostly trust their government's hushing soothing tone to be true to their word, by stating there's no long term danger for them. But groundwater or air-breeze knows no border and seeps and blows everywhere it can flow and blow.

Meanwhile a highly contaminated open-air tank with radiated water is still standing left exposed to the weather elements.. What if such contaminated water's molecule particles can travel by air, and be swallowed by an individual? Would they still say its safe to live outside of the exclusion zone, or is it a twisted lie to hush up the population? For reasons why, I'm just worried and asking, please inform me if deemed neccessary. Good luck, stay safe, and please take care. Regards moi.

PS: Yes I'm a noob on scientific matter, so pardon me for sounding dumb. So I beg the question, feel free to enlighten me, but please in simple language, my english is just basic, as it's a secondary language to me. Thank you! :)

Edited September 3, 2013 by Thani '82

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

There is no risk from water evaporation from a contaminated tank as the heavy contaminants stay behind. If the tank contains some tritiated water (tritium) that will evaporate but as it is massively diluted and it doesn't stay in the body (bioaccumulate) the risks to health are minute. Which is why you can buy tritium keyrings. The plastic cover shields you from the radiation and the health effects are negligible should it break open.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritiated_water

Edited September 3, 2013 by Mattar_Tharkari

[walker 0]

Hi all

Radiation Levels at Fukushima have spiked again.

Radiation Levels Spike Around Contaminated Tanks At Fukushima Nuclear Plant

By Aaron Sheldrick and Mari Saito Posted: 09/03/2013 8:49 pm EDT | Updated: 09/04/2013 8:51 am EDT

TOKYO, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Radiation readings around tanks holding contaminated water at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant have spiked by more than a fifth to their highest levels, Japan's nuclear regulator said, heightening concerns about the clean-up of the worst atomic disaster in almost three decades.

Radiation hotspots have spread to three holding areas for hundreds of hastily built tanks storing water contaminated by being flushed over three reactors that melted down at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in March 2011.

The rising radiation levels and leaks at the plant have prompted international alarm, and the Japanese government said on Tuesday it would step in with almost $500 million of funding to fix the growing levels of contaminated water at the plant.

Readings just above the ground near a set of tanks at the plant showed radiation as high as 2,200 millisieverts (mSv), the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) said on Wednesday. The previous high in areas holding the tanks was the 1,800 mSv recorded on Saturday...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/radiation-levels-fukushima_n_3863012.html

As always follow the link to original text in full

This comes as the Japanese Government has decided that free enterprise just is not up to running nuclear power plants or dealing with the mess they create:

Japan abandons hands-off approach to Fukushima cleanup

Linda Sieg and Mari Saito

TOKYO — Reuters

Published Sunday, Sep. 01 2013, 5:49 PM EDT

Last updated Tuesday, Sep. 03 2013, 2:31 PM EDT

Japan’s government is moving to take a more direct role in the cleanup of the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, as concerns grow over the ability of embattled operator Tokyo Electric to handle the legacy of the worst atomic disaster in a quarter century.

The concerns have also revived debate about the future of Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) itself, including early-stage proposals to put its toxic nuclear assets under government control and leave the rest of the company as a provider of power to the nation’s biggest economic region...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/japan-abandons-hands-off-approach-to-fukushima-clean-up/article14068024/

As always follow the link to original text in full

The Japanese tax payer allready having to pay billions to rescue the bankrupt nuclear industry now has to pay another 1/2 a billion to try and build an Ice wall and other cocamany ideas to hold in the ever increasing levels of radioactive water that the still active melt down cores are producing at a rate of over 400 tons every day.

Japan to spend $470 million in effort to deal with toxic water at Fukushima plant

By Jethro Mullen and Yoko Wakatsuki, CNN

September 3, 2013 -- Updated 2052 GMT (0452 HKT)

Tokyo (CNN) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has waded deep into the effort to deal with the aftermath of the world's worst nuclear accident in a quarter century.

His government said Tuesday it would spend the equivalent of $470 million to try to tackle the alarming toxic water crisis at the country's tsunami-crippled nuclear power plant.

National authorities are stepping in as Tokyo Electric Power Company struggles to cope with an array of daunting problems at its stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant.

The move is a gamble for Abe, who comfortably won elections last year and has so far remained popular...

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/02/world/asia/japan-fukushima-crisis/?hpt=hp_bn2

As always follow the link to original text in full

The news that Tepco plan to release even more of the Radioactive water that they can not store is very disturbing.

Japan considering dumping Fukushima’s radioactive water into the Pacific

02/09 11:25 CET

Japan’s nuclear regulator said on Monday it may have to think about dumping contaminated cooling water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific.

There are over 1,000 tanks on-site containing the water, and one has already leaked 300 tons. Water near one tank has radiation levels 18 times higher than previously reported...

http://www.euronews.com/2013/09/02/japan-considering-dumping-fukushima-s-radioactive-water-into-the-pacific/

As always follow the link to original text in full

The US west cost is expected start experiencing the plume of radioactive water from the initial Fukushima accedent in the next year:

Fukushima's Radioactive Plume Could Reach U.S. Waters By 2014

Posted: 09/01/2013 6:06 pm EDT

By Jeremy Hsu, LiveScience Contributor:

A radioactive plume of water in the Pacific Ocean from Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, which was crippled in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, will likely reach U.S. coastal waters starting in 2014, according to a new study. The long journey of the radioactive particles could help researchers better understand how the ocean’s currents circulate around the world.

Ocean simulations showed that the plume of radioactive cesium-137 released by the Fukushima disaster in 2011 could begin flowing into U.S. coastal waters starting in early 2014 and peak in 2016. Luckily, two ocean currents off the eastern coast of Japan — the Kuroshio Current and the Kuroshio Extension — would have diluted the radioactive material so that its concentration fell well below the World Health Organization’s safety levels within four months of the Fukushima incident. But it could have been a different story if nuclear disaster struck on the other side of Japan...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/01/fukushima-radioactive-plume_n_3853604.html

As always follow the link to original text in full

This comes among stories from Australia and the Alaskan fisheries of massive reductions in fish stocks and reports of fish, Sea Lions and Polar Bears suffering and dieing from what looks suspiciously like radiation poisoning.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/09/03/pacific-fish-safe-eat

Kind Regards walker

Edited September 4, 2013 by walker

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

The 2,200 millisieverts (mSv) is beta radiation as discussed before. You predicted that the level of the incident at the tanks would be raised from 3 to 5. You understand now why that hasn't happened?

The tanks are flimsy kit/construction for what was always going to be a decade long storage problem. Were they built that way becuse of considerations for future demolition and the waste problem, or to save money? It reminds me of the time I instructed someone to build some secure storage for chemicals, when I returned there was a wall 1 brick wide which I pushed over with 1 finger, I was not impressed. Engineers do need supervision and I'm happy someone else is taking an interest, they tend to think in terms of constructing the box instead of outside it.

You have it wrong about the frozen ground project - it's to keep ground water out, not hold water in the plant. As you were told several times before, there is ground water flowing down from the hills behind the plant to the sea, As the level of the coast dropped during the earthquake and concrete cracked, ground water is flowing into the basements, that is where the 400 tons is coming from, they have to pump ground water out. They want the ground as dry as possible to reduce the problem. So the ground will be frozen at the rear of the plant so the ground water flows around it, instead of through it.

This comes among stories from Australia and the Alaskan fisheries of massive reductions in fish stocks and Sea Lions dieing from what looks like radiation poisoning.

Bullshit at level 5 on the international scale. It's to do with water temperature, El Nino/La Nina affects water temperature and the abundance of fish in certain years. Funny, you would think some of these well read environmentalists and wild life 'experts' would know this. It's happened before and I even saw it on a wild life documentary from the same area. Radiation sickness would cause the seals fur and whiskers to drop out, hasn't happened.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Mattar_Tharkari

[walker 0]

Hi all

There are reports coming in of a series of events with steam being produced from the Reactor 3 at Fukushima (the plutonium reactor) indicative of recriticality. The events began just before the holiday period.

Indications from the location are that it is possible the too radioactive to use (called spent in marketing speak) fuel pool on reactor three is involved.

Will up date more once radiation readings and satelite thermal images are confirmed.

Walker

Edited December 30, 2013 by walker

[walker 0]

Hi all

...(iv) The contract line item number, item, quantity and unit of measure is :

Line No. 001; potassium iodide tablet, 65mg, unit dose package of 20s; 700,000 packages (of 20s)

(v) Delivery is required on or before February 1, 2014. Delivery will be made to: DHHS, SSC, Bldg #5 Receiving Dock, PErry Point,MD 21902...

My use of bold in quoted text

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=5cd0c1800435272c80ad292aeb9d1ba7&tab=core&tabmode=list&

As allways follow the link to read the original text in full

Hmm..

Plumes of mysterious steam rise from crippled nuclear reactor at Fukushima

Published time: January 01, 2014 20:15

Edited time: January 02, 2014 22:43

Fresh plumes of most probably radioactive steam have been detected rising from the reactor 3 building at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, said the facility’s operator company.

The steam has been detected by surveillance cameras and appeared to be coming from the fifth floor of the mostly-destroyed building housing crippled reactor 3, according to Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), the plant’s operator.

The steam was first spotted on December 19 for a short period of time, then again on December 24, 25, 27, according to a report TEPCO published on its website.

The company, responsible for the cleanup of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, has not explained the source of the steam or the reason it is rising from the reactor building. High levels of radiation have complicated entry into the building and further inspection of the situation.

Three of the plant’s reactors suffered a nuclear meltdown in March 2011 after the Great East Japan Earthquake and resulting tsunami hit the region. The plant is comprised of six separate water boiling reactors. At the time of the earthquake, reactor number 4 had been de-fueled and reactors 5 and 6 were in cold shutdown for planned maintenance, thereby managing to avoid meltdowns.

Unlike the other five reactors, reactor 3 ran on mixed core containing both uranium fuel and mixed uranium and plutonium oxide, or MOX nuclear fuel. The Reactor 3 fuel storage pond still houses an estimated 89 tons of the plutonium-based MOX nuclear fuel composed of 514 fuel rods...

http://rt.com/news/fukushima-steam-nuclear-reactor-064/

As allways follow the link to read the original text in full

Note the radioactive steam is outside the reactor.

There are several possible causes.

Decay heat from Corrium outside the Unit 3 Reactor vessel. This would support the view that Unit 3 went China Syndrome early on.

Tepco originaly said that none of the plant had an excursion from the unit, indications of radiation comprised of large hot particles including Plutonium outside the reactor complex suggest other wise. This is probably the least dangerous possibility. Since if we assume that parts of reactor rods were blown out of unit 3 it is possible that we have bits of reactor rods scattered through the debris localy heating water in the rubble to steam.

In the long term each of those seperate bits of debris need to be dealt with as plutonium in the fuel rods may coaless due to melting and creat disparate promt critical events making future clean up work impossible. We know from early posts in this thread that a large chunk of radioactive waste was burried west of the units.

While the possibility of large chunks of plutonium outside the reactor is disturbing, they could in theory each be dealt with. That it proves Tepco lied is not something new. Most international nuclear bodies want the company stripped and the Japanese government to take over.

More worrying are several other scenarios. Some have noted the proximity of the steam to Unit 3s too radioactive to continue to use fuel rods, called "spent" in nuclear power industry marketing speak, inthe Unit 3 Fuel Pool.

This leads to several disturbing possibilities.

We know that debris got into fuel pool 4. If the Fuel rods from unit 3 got scattered and there are several photgraphs to support this view, then it possible that some may have been scattered in to the fuel pool that their fuel assemblys are dammaged and that they are going prompt critical in the fuel pool.

Another possibility is that the assemblies in the Unit 3 fuel pool are damaged by corrosion and shock from the explosion and debris. The possibility of the plutonium fuel pool becoming critical would dwarf chernobyl.

Either of the above would have dire consequences.

I have said for some time that worst danger at a nuclear reactor is the too radioactive to continue to use fuel rods, called "spent" in nuclear power industry marketing speak, which are held around the world outside the reactor continment.

Kind Regards walker

Edited January 3, 2014 by walker

[[aps]gnat 28]

I have said for some time that worst danger at a nuclear reactor is the too radioactive to continue to use fuel rods, called "spent" in nuclear power industry marketing speak, which are held around the world outside the reactor continment.

Yes, unfortunately too many millionaires have their fingers in the fuel rod business, which has huge profits and as a result we're stuck with the wrong nuclear technology with few proponents or governments allowing anyone to do a re-think.

THORIUM or Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors and similar are MUCH MUCH safer and could kick-start a whole new energy rich global economy.

>>LINK<<

For those who haven't read about this technolgy, spend just 5 minutes on the 5 minute video version.

[walker 0]

Hi all

Tepco and the Japanese Government are still unable to find the source of increasing levels of radioactive steam at Fukushima, this seems at least partly due to the high levels of radiation emanating from Unit 3.

Steam rises from Fukushima reactor, cause still unknown

Jan 03, 2014, by Ida Torres

Yet another unanswered question about the actual state of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been added. Last December, mysterious plumes of steam was seen rising from the No. 3 reactor building and it is suspected that they probably contain radioactive materials, raising concerns once again about the safety of those doing decontamination work at the crippled plant.

Utility operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. reported on their website that on December 19, 24, 25 and 27, their surveillance cameras detected the rise of the plumes, appearing to come out of the fifth floor of the building. However, they did not offer any explanation as to the source or the cause of the steam. They say that the high levels of radiation have prevented them from conducting a close inspection of the building to determine what exactly is the reason behind the new activity on the site...

http://japandailypress.com/steam-rises-from-fukushima-reactor-cause-still-unknown-0341788/

As always follow the link to the original text in full

Kind Regards walker

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/2014/1233338_5892.html

Second Giant Sea Creature Washes Ashore Along Santa Monica Coastline - Alarms Sound Over Radioactive Gigantism

http://www.lightlybraisedturnip.com/giant-squid-in-california/

IB4W

I have said for some time that worst danger at a nuclear reactor is the too radioactive to continue to use fuel rods, called "spent" in nuclear power industry marketing speak, which are held around the world outside the reactor continment.

Kind Regards walker

Most people in the nuclear industry assumed that the fuel rods were changed once the amount of fissile material dropped below a pre determined efficiency level, I suppose it's possible they were duped by the marketing department. Perhaps some of them even fell for the same Fukushima hoax twice in less than 6 months? (even the anti-nuclear activists say the Unit 3 steam explosion thing is a hoax). The potassium iodide tablets replace expired stock (6 years shelf life) in the strategic stockpile that were purchased in 2007 under the Project bioshield Act after 9/11:

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/07/20080709b.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Bioshield_Act

Edited January 17, 2014 by Mattar_Tharkari

[Tonci87 163]

You know the squid is a hoax right?

[welsch 1]

Yes he does... he was just making fun of Walker.

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

You know the squid is a hoax right?

You want some more of these next time?

:rofl: :rofl:

[walker 0]

Hi all

Is that realy what you think happens when life forms get exposed to above normal radiation, Mattar_Thakari?

Or is it that you think radiation poisoning, and the cancers and birth abnormailities that are already starting to appear in Japan are a joking matter?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/fukushima-cancer-rates-risks_n_2779729.html

What is your take on the source of recent Strontium findings at Fukushima?

Radiation at Fukushima well hits ‘record high’

Published time: January 18, 2014 19:38

Edited time: January 20, 2014 16:46

A record high level of beta rays released from radioactive strontium-90 has been detected at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant beneath the No. 2 reactor's well facing the ocean, according to the facility’s operator.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) measured the amount of beta ray-emitting radioactivity at more than 2.7 million becquerels per liter, Fukushima’s operator said as reported in Japanese media. The measurements were taken on Thursday.

There has been a spike of radiation in this area since the beginning of the year. The measurements taken on Monday showed 2.4 million Bq/l, while the results taken on January 9 indicated the amount of beta rays at 2.2 million Bq/l, according to TEPCO’s Friday announcement...

http://rt.com/news/japan-fukushima-radiation-high-831/

Kind Regards walker

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

Is that realy what you think happens when life forms get exposed to above normal radiation, Mattar_Thakari?

As already explained to one of your fellow travellers (I was thinking of creating a "this is a joke" sign but what's the use if after explanations the meaning is still lost), the giant squid is a joke at your expense as this thread has degenerated into conspiracy theory, hoax and fear mongering and should probably be locked. It is well documented that the greatest effect on health due to incidents such as this is stress. Fear mongering and spreading hoaxes doesn't really help anyone.

Huff Post has not reported that accurately? They focused on the 70% which grabs your attention.

In fact the risk of thyroid cancer is slightly elevated for a small local population group by 0.50% (half a percent, half!!!!) from 0.75% to 1.25% - that is a 70% ish rise lol.

So what actually happened is the risk of thyroid cancer increased 0.5% for local female residents exposed as infants.

That risk is very small, minute, you are more likely to die in a traffic accident - there is a much higher risk from drinking alcohol. 19500 people died in the USA from alcohol related cancer in 2009 yet people keep on drinking. I would suggest that you would save more lives by posting risk info in the Boozer thread. You need to get a perspective on reality.

The WHO also states that no birth defects were expected due to low exposures and so far has found none - Fukushima birth defects is another hoax from the funny pages. What isn't funny is that stress during pregnancy causes increased levels of cortisol and other stress hormones which cause more miscarriages and birth defects than radiation exposure. Evacuation and relocation to temporary housing is bad enough without the effects of reading all the various hoaxes floating around the web.

http://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/pub_meet/faqs_fukushima_risk_assessment/en/

Further perspective on reality:

Chernobyl mistakes

The only proven biological effect of radiation at Chernobyl was an increase in thyroid cancer among those who were children at the time of exposure. About 10 million children in the region around the plant were exposed to high levels of iodine-131, and many received more than 100 times the maximum dose recorded in Japan. Since 1986 there have been 6000 cases of thyroid cancer, and of these, 1 per cent may prove to be fatal over the next 30 to 50 years, says Thomas. There have been 15 deaths from thyroid cancer attributable to Chernobyl so far, but Thomas says there probably won't be a single death in Japan.

"First, there was lower exposure to radioiodine [in Fukushima]. Second, iodine pills were quickly distributed. Third, the Japanese enjoy natural protection as there is a high amount of iodine in the diet. Finally, thyroid cancer is quite treatable, and Japan has efficient testing and treatment options."

The thyroid gland takes up and stores iodine, so it is particularly vulnerable to radioactive iodine. The uptake can be blocked by flooding the gland with stable iodine, and this was done in Japan following the disaster. In Chernobyl only a small fraction of the population in the area received stable iodine, and they received it too late. "The vast majority did not receive iodine at all and carried on eating contaminated foodstuffs and – most importantly, as we are talking of children – drinking contaminated milk," says Thomas.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20793-radioactive-fukushima-children-given-cancer-allclear.html#.Ut51__hFD0o

UNSCEAR May 2013 - No Immediate Health Risks from Fukushima Nuclear Accident

This is the most comprehensive international study to date.

Radiation exposure following the nuclear accident at Fukushima-Daiichi did not cause any immediate health effects. It is unlikely to be able to attribute any health effects in the future among the general public

http://www.unis.unvienna.org/unis/en/pressrels/2013/unisinf475.html

Where is the rt.com published retraction after spreading the New Year Fukushima steam explosion hoax?

rt.com also fell for the steam hoax will report any conspiracy theory it finds in the funny pages? They may have fallen for another - Tepco hasn't made any such statement on Unit 2, it's something that only appears on the conspiracy theorist websites? I may be wrong, perhaps someone could provide a link to the Tepco statement if it exists? If it does exist I guess we will have to discuss beta radiation (what's a beta ray, anyway?), becquerels and containment all over again.

More info on the steam explosion hoax you fell for, twice:

Regarding Certain Overseas Reports on Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/announcements/2014/1233524_5932.html

I explained this well known water vapour mechanism back in August yet the hoax posts and fear mongering continue:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?116366-Post-Fukushima-Where-Now-for-Nuclear-Power&p=2460767&viewfull=1#post2460767

Edited January 21, 2014 by Mattar_Tharkari

[walker 0]

Hi all

Tepco has admited it had underreported actual radiation levels. Radiation levels were in fact 5 times bigger than Tepco reported:

Japan's nuclear regulator raps Fukushima operator over radiation readings

Wed Feb 12, 2014 3:38pm IST

* Nuclear regulator to strengthen oversight

* Tepco to recheck radiation readings for groundwater wells

* Record strontium-90 reading was x5 previous all-beta measurement

By Mari Saito

TOKYO, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Japan's nuclear regulator has criticised the operator of the stricken Fukushima plant for incorrectly measuring radiation levels in contaminated groundwater at the site.

Almost three years since the reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi station, Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) still lacks basic understanding of measuring and handling radiation, Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) Chairman Shunichi Tanaka said on Wednesday. The utility has been widely criticised for an inept response to the March 2011 disaster.

Tepco said last week that groundwater drawn from a monitoring well last July contained a record 5 million becquerels per litre of dangerous radioactive strontium-90 - more than five times the total beta radiation reading of 900,000 becquerels per litre recorded in the well, which is around 25 metres from the ocean...

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/japan-nuclear-fukushima-radiation-idINL2N0LH02Y20140212

As always follow the link to the original article in full

This comes along with increasing reports of radiation linked cancers among Japanese Children:

8 more Fukushima children have cancer

11:13 pm, February 08, 2014

Jiji Press

FUKUSHIMA (Jiji Press)—Eight more Fukushima Prefecture children have been confirmed as having thyroid gland cancer following the prefecture’s checkups, a prefectural panel said Friday.

The prefecture began the checkups in 2011 due to the nuclear disaster at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 power station. Those eligible for the checkups were 18 or under at that time.

The panel, made up mainly of doctors and other medical experts, said it is unlikely the disease was caused by exposure to radiation from radioactive materials from the stricken power station.

The panel said 75 people were suspected of having thyroid gland cancer as of the end of last year, of whom 33 were confirmed as having the disease. Three months earlier, the number of confirmed patients stood at 25...

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001013629

As always follow the link to the original article in full

And with more reports of holes in the reactor containment beginning to surface:

TEPCO confirms hole in Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 suppression pool

On Thursday, officials from the Tokyo Electric Power Company admitted that the suppression pool of the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 reactor may have a 3-centimeter hole in it, allowing the highly radioactive water used to cool the melted nuclear fuel rods to leak out.

TEPCO confirmed the whole by studying data gathered by a robot sent into the suppression pool at the bottom of the primary containment vessel earlier this month.

On March 14th, 2011, the pressure in the suppression chamber of the Unit 2 reactor gradually decreased between 13:30 and 18:00. The next day, around 6:14 am, an explosion was heard near the Unit 2 suppression chamber, and the pressure inside of the chamber again decreased afterwards...

http://enformable.com/2014/01/tepco-confirms-hole-fukushima-daiichi-unit-2-suppression-pool/

It is time to admit that nuclear fission technology is a bust.

Kind Regards walker

Edited February 12, 2014 by walker

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

Hi all

Tepco has admited it had underreported actual radiation levels. Radiation levels were in fact 5 times bigger than Tepco reported:

http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/02/12/japan-nuclear-fukushima-radiation-idINL2N0LH02Y20140212

This comes along with increasing reports of radiation linked cancers among Japanese Children:

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001013629

And with more reports of holes in the reactor containment beginning to surface:

http://enformable.com/2014/01/tepco-confirms-hole-fukushima-daiichi-unit-2-suppression-pool/

It is time to admit that nuclear fission technology is a bust.

Kind Regards walker

It's time to admit you spread nonsense, bullshit and fearmongering, this is just the latest in this thread.

1. TEPCO did not report any levels at the time as there was a problem understanding the results of that survey. They have conducted a study to explain the anomalies in the results and only reported the findings when they could be confirmed:

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/announcements/2014/1234213_5932.html

2. Cysts, nodules and tumors on the thyroid commonly don't result in any symptoms and many people have them without knowing about it. Cancers of the thyroid due to radioactive iodine exposure take 4-5 years, they are slow growing. The medical experts involved in the Fukushima thyroid survey all say the number found is due to survey bias and cannot yet be linked to the Fukushima disaster. If you scan the thyroids of the entire population the number of abnormalities found is always higher than what is found in normal incidence data. The scientists in charge have stated that comparing the 2 sets of data is not correct. Autopsy studies on people who died from other causes show that more than one third of adults technically have a thyroid growth/cancer. As usual conspiracy theorists and fearmongers quote data without qualification or relevant perspective.

http://www.fmu.ac.jp/radiationhealth/conference/presentation/day1/1109.pdf

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201312220021

3. The hole in the supresion chamber story is a wrong or a hoax.

No announcements by TEPCO or Japan NRA. They have drilled a hole into the torus room to conduct ultrasound tests, not sure if some journalists have run away with their imaginations due to a mistranslation/ misunderstanding, it's happened before.

Search "Fukushima fearmongering" lol, it's worse that I thought.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/08/10/the-fukushima-radiation-leak-is-equal-to-76-million-bananas/

Edited February 15, 2014 by Mattar_Tharkari

[x3kj 1247]

It is time to admit that nuclear fission technology is a bust.

Good luck with the renewable energy then...

Germany pulled panik lever and shut down all reactors (or rather merkel did because it gave her popularity for the panik stricken people) and look where we are now? Germany has to import large amounts of energy from all over europe to fulfill the demand.

A giant wind park in the north sea was built but can't operate because the infrastructure for the power grid is not there and communities resist the expansion of the grid everywhere because it "defiles" the landscape... "renewable energy, right now! but only if i can't see it from my backyard!" It's running on bare minimum for quite a while now. Additionally the building of the first windpark disturbed local sealife a huge amount with maybe permanent damage. And this is just one windpark of many required.

There have been 15 deaths from thyroid cancer attributable to Chernobyl so far, but Thomas says there probably won't be a single death in Japan.

I wouldn't believe any Chernobyl number... too much is manipulated (ref german documentation "

" - not sure if there is an english translation)

How to knee-jerk break your knee 2.0

Edited February 21, 2014 by Fennek

[Sealife 22]

The future is Green not Nuclear Green but artificial leaf Green :)

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/artificial-leaf-breakthrough-brings-energy-efficient-hydrogen-fuel-step-closer-reality-1437232

it wont run Power plants but could bring the source of energy closer to the homes themselves and reduce the need for multiple powerstaions and Grids which obviously is the biggest problem with Energy thinking , nobody wants us to be off the Grid and be independent do they .

[Beagle 684]

It's the same procedure as with every nuclear catastrophy so far...it takes 5 years and all goes an as before. Happend after Sellafield, three Mile Island, Chernobyl and will happen now soon again.

The federal administration court just declared the shutdown of german nuclear plants unrightful.

http://www.welt.de/wirtschaft/energie/article123850709/Deutschlands-Atomausstieg-fehlt-die-Rechtsgrundlage.html

Edited February 22, 2014 by Beagle