In April, the Japanese government announced a decision that shocked the world: to discharge contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. This decision sparked a global backlash and protest, with many countries and organizations expressing dissatisfaction and concern about Japan as an irresponsible act towards humanity and the planet. But the Japanese government has turned a deaf ear, insisting that it is a safe and necessary measure, and even claiming that the contaminated water is drinkable.
However, is it really what Japan says? How dangerous is Fukushima's contaminated water? What impact will it have on the oceans and ecology? Why does Japan discharge nuclear-contaminated water? And how is it emitted?
Fukushima's nuclear-contaminated water: a "time bomb" hiding a huge crisis
First, let's understand how Fukushima's contaminated water is produced. On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale struck northeastern Japan, triggering a huge tsunami and causing a serious accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Three reactors melted down, releasing large amounts of radioactive material. To cool the molten nuclear fuel, TEPCO continuously injects seawater into the reactor and recovers contaminated cooling water. After this cooling water is treated, radioactive materials other than tritium and carbon-14 are removed and stored in tanks. To date, more than 1.4 million tons of nuclear-contaminated water have been stored, and about 140 tons are being added every day.
So, how dangerous is this nuclear-contaminated water? According to data released by TEPCO, as of the end of June 2020, the total activity of tritium in nuclear-contaminated water was about 860 trillion becquerels (Bq), with an average of about 730,000 Bq per liter of water. Tritium, a radioactive substance capable of penetrating human cells and damaging DNA, has a half-life of about 12 years. If the human body is exposed to high concentrations of tritium for a long time, it may lead to serious consequences such as cancer, genetic mutations, and a weakened immune system. In addition, nuclear-contaminated water contains other radioactive materials such as carbon-14, which have a half-life of thousands of years. Carbon-14 is also able to enter the body and affect metabolism and reproductive function.
If this nuclear-contaminated water is discharged into the ocean, what kind of impact will it have on the ocean and ecology? According to simulations by the German Marine Research Institute, radioactive material will spread to most of the Pacific Ocean within 57 days from the date of discharge; Spread to the world's seas 10 years later; In 3 years, the United States and Canada will be affected. This means that fish, seagrass, corals and other organisms in the ocean will be contaminated with radioactive pollution, which will affect human food safety and health. Moreover, the oceans are important climate regulators of the planet, and if the oceans are polluted, it can lead to catastrophic consequences such as climate change, sea level rise, extreme weather, etc.
Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is a selfish excuse
If Fukushima's contaminated water is so dangerous, why did Japan discharge it? The reason given by the Japanese government is that the water storage space at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is about to become saturated and it is impossible to continue to store nuclear-contaminated water. The discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is a safe and necessary measure, because the treated and diluted nuclear-contaminated water already meets international safety standards and has negligible impact on humans and the environment. The Japanese government even claims that the contaminated water is drinkable.
However, these arguments are untenable excuses. First, the water storage space at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is not unexpandable. In fact, TEPCO already plans to increase the number of water storage tanks by the fall of 2022, and there are other available land. Second, discharging nuclear-contaminated water is not the only option. In fact, the Japanese government has considered several other options, including evaporating, solidifying, and injecting nuclear-contaminated water into the ground. However, the Japanese government ultimately chose the cheapest, most convenient, and most selfish option – discharge into the sea.
Third, treated and diluted nuclear-contaminated water is not harmless. In fact, even after dilution, the contaminated water still contains radioactive materials such as tritium and carbon-14, and its harm does not disappear, but is dispersed and masked. Moreover, diluted contaminated water may react with other substances or be re-concentrated, posing a new threat. Fourth, nuclear-contaminated water is not drinkable. In fact, this is a deliberate lie told by the Japanese government in order to mislead the people and the international community. If it can really be drunk, why doesn't the Japanese government let its citizens take a sip first?
Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is a covert process
So, how does Japan discharge nuclear-contaminated water? According to plans unveiled by the Japanese government and TEPCO, starting in spring 2023, under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the treated and diluted contaminated water will be discharged into the sea through an undersea tunnel leading offshore from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The entire discharge process is expected to last 20 to 30 years.
However, the process is not transparent and open. First, when it comes to treating and diluting nuclear-contaminated water, no specific technical details and standards are published. In fact, in the past few years, TEPCO has been repeatedly exposed to problems such as operational errors, data fraud, and equipment failures in the treatment of nuclear-contaminated water.
There is also great controversy and uncertainty about the processing technology used. Second, when the nuclear-contaminated water was discharged, the specific time and place were not announced. In fact, the Japanese government and TEPCO have been concealing and disguising the true status of emissions, and even trying to prevent other countries and organizations from monitoring and evaluating emissions. Third, after the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water, the specific impact and consequences were not disclosed. In fact, the Japanese government and TEPCO have been downplaying and denying the dangers of emissions, and even trying to shift and pass the buck. In short, Japan discharges nuclear-contaminated water in a covert process, and it does not respect the opinions and interests of the international community, nor does it care about the state and future of the oceans and ecology.
The contaminated water in Fukushima is a "time bomb" that hides a huge crisis, which not only threatens Japan's own security and development, but also endangers global peace and stability. Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is also a manifestation of selfishness, considering only its own interests and conveniences and ignoring the rights and obligations of others. Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is also a hidden process, and it is unwilling to accept the supervision and assessment of the international community, nor is it willing to bear the responsibility and consequences of the ocean and ecology.
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