Japanese fisheries head opposes plan to pump treated radioactive water from Fukushima into the sea

Japan government solution, just provide some fund.

Japan’s government says it has set up a fund to promote Fukushima seafood and to provide compensation in case sales fall due to safety concerns.

Can we trust them not to divert the money like they did before?

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/12/13/national/defense-spending-tohoku-tax/

“We cannot support the government’s stance that an ocean release is the only solution,” said Masanobu Sakamoto, president of JF Zengyoren, or the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives.

….

Here I was thinking the government had the ‘understanding’ of the people of Fukushima that it was ok to discharge radioactive substances off their coast.

I can hear the gnashing of teeth in Tokyo all the way down here in Kansai.

How about "achieving the understanding" of the local landowners to move the tanks onto their land, thereby saving the fishing industry. Why not build a huge concrete lake bed to store the water in? Just throwing it into the ocean for the next who-knows-how-many-decades seems like a poor choice.

So the Japanese Government tried to hide the blast of the Fukushima nuclear power plant from the public years ago until America released the blast via satellite images, and now the Japanese Government wants us to trust them to do the right thing with the funds and the

...nuclear H2O?

Someone needs to remind this Sakamoto that the water released over the next few decades will be safer than bottled drinking water. He seems to have fallen for unfounded rumors.

Make a reservoir and provide that water supply to politicians and TEPCO managers who make such decisions as "dump it in the sea"

Problem solved

 the water released over the next few decades will be safer than bottled drinking water. He seems to have fallen for unfounded rumors.

What a waste to dump it in the sea, then. Why not pipe it straight into Nagatacho. The politicians wouldn’t ever need to buy bottled water again.

Seriously though, if it’s so safe why can’t it just be reused to cool the plant?

“We cannot support the government’s stance that an ocean release is the only solution,” 

This is correct! There are hundreds of hectares of land in Fukushima that can never be built on again. The water could be stored there. Nobody knows what impact this release will have on the ocean or coastlines. They are just gambling that it won’t disrupt breeding cycles of the fish. What if they lose their gamble and destroy the fish populations of the east coast of Japan? It’s one hell of a gamble.

Japan’s government announced plans in April 2021 to gradually release the treated but still slightly radioactive water following its dilution to what it says are safe levels that are well within international standards.

Here it is! The standard well prepared political whitewash statement. It doesn’t matter how much sugar you put on a poop it’s still a poop.

Been watching “The Days” on Netflix. Hope they continue to this genocide of nature and destruction of peoples lives and health.

The water being released is cleaner than the drinking water from your kitchen tap.

Ignorant people just don’t understand science.

This is a problem for Japan because in the ideology the farmers and fishermen are sacred cows. Their actions are never criticised; they do no wrong. And they are firm LDP supporters. Now they stand opposed to the state, the LDP and a huge business interest. They cannot be portrayed as unreasonable but something will have to give. Maybe some money will be found either officially or from one of the huge secret funds the bureaucracies have acquired over the years to smooth things over.

any common sense saying so.

dont need to listen corrupted TEPCO guys or LDP crooks....

“We cannot support the government’s stance that an ocean release is the only solution,” said Masanobu Sakamoto, president of JF Zengyoren, or the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives.""

The whole world is against it, but no one seems to listen until a disaster hits again. there has to be a better way to slowly dispose of this water over a very long period of time and the OCEAN is NOT an option.

It's time to face the facts, TEPCO and their government minions, are going to release radioactive waste into the Pacific. Too late for the subservient Japanese to resist.

The physics and physiology say it is safe. But ignorance can't be beat. In my area, supermarkets have been selling Fukushima produce since about six years ago and locals don't discriminate. China has been releasing its nuclear plant wastes into the Daya Bay right next to Hong Kong since day 1 decades ago.

I really hope Sakamoto-san will stand his ground and for once the LDP will have to do something to earn the support of the farming and fisheries industries.

However, having been here for quite a while now, one can't help suspecting that a few very well-stuffed brown envelopes to the requisite people will be sufficient to make this anxiety about polluting Japan's waters for the next 10,000 years suddenly go away.

I hope I'm wrong.

Make it the only water LDP can drink, bathe, and cook with. A sort of private reserve.

The water being released is cleaner than the drinking water from your kitchen tap.

Then surely it could just be pumped directly into the general water supply?

David Brent - The water being released is cleaner than the drinking water from your kitchen tap.

Ignorant people just don’t understand science.

If this is so, why isn't it being bottled and sold as drinking water? It seems the ignorant people are the ones who blindly believe the government sponsored science. There are just as many (possibly more) scientists who condemn the release of this water. The report from a few years ago stating this water contains many more isotopes than just tritium due to poor filtering especially in the early days has conveniently been swept under the carpet. The ignorant ones are those who believe the Japanese government stating the release of this contaminated water is safe. How many years did it take the Japanese government to acknowledge the deliberate mercury poisoning in Minamata? Destroying the east coast fisheries and contaminating the beaches with radioactive isotopes is not going to be solved with a deep bow and an apology.

The water being released is cleaner than the drinking water from your kitchen tap.

Ignorant people just don’t understand science.'

Feel free to drink up, you can even have our share too.

Others who say the release plan is deemed safe also call for more transparency, including allowing outside scientists to join sampling and monitoring.

If transparency is still at issue this late in the game, then the protesters have every reason to stage  demonstrations and protestations.

What, you want to drink salt water?

If any other country had said they’ll be doing this then The US and its cronies would have strongly opposed that country and put multiple sanctions on them or even invaded that country to stop it! But since it’s Japan doing it, The US and its cronies turn a blind eye while the sea is being destroyed! Don’t make the sea angry by dumping your waste in it or you’ll end up with another 3/11 Tsunami!

South Korean fishing boats stage a maritime parade to protest against the planned release of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea, off Wando, South Korea, on Friday.

Hilarious. They protest Fukushima's waste water that would have to travel thousands of kilometers from Japan's east coast to reach them ... but not the Kori power plant in Busan just 150 kilometers away which puts twice as much radioactivity into the sea every year.

The only thing that would make even less sense would be going to Busan to protest Fukushima oh wait they will next month.

The plan has faced fierce protests from local fishing communities concerned about safety and reputational damage.

And here's the rub. The waste water release is toxic -- not to nature or people, but to the bottom line of fishermen and the tourist industry.

It seems the ignorant people are the ones who blindly believe the government sponsored science.

Then, by all means, have some non-government sponsored science.

https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/first_interlaboratory_comparison_on_the_determination_of_radionuclides_in_alps_treated_water.pdf

The IAEA itself in three of its laboratories as well as four international laboratories from Switzerland, France, the USA, and Korea(!) independently examined the waste water to be released. They all say the same: TEPCO is not hiding anything, the waste water is safe to be released, it easily fulfills the necessary standards.

And unfortunately this document is utterly unsuitable for public consumption. It contains some very long words, a two-page table of contents, and dozens of tables with numbers. On an intellectual and emotional level it cannot possibly compete with "I know a better solution no scientist has ever considered", "If it's so safe, drink it then!", and especially not "Don't anger the sea or it will send another tsunami!".

@JimToday 12:30 pm JST

If any other country had said they’ll be doing this then The US and its cronies would have strongly opposed that country and put multiple sanctions on them or even invaded that country to stop it! But since it’s Japan doing it, The US and its cronies turn a blind eye while the sea is being destroyed! Don’t make the sea angry by dumping your waste in it or you’ll end up with another 3/11 Tsunami!

I believe some sources are in order. Countries pollute all of the time.

Let it flow man, let it flow Operation Nuke Flow

The fact that they are discharging a kilometre offshore is of concern after they have started and been doing it for a while! I guarantee there will be some higher concentrations being dump without too much oversight

Testing the diluted portion and announcing its safe is ludicrous

That's why they didn't do that. IAEA's report exactly states what they collected and where:

The samples were collected directly from one of the interconnection pipes at K4-B. A volume of 25.3 L of ALPS treated water was collected for each participating laboratory

after they have started and been doing it for a while!

there will be some higher concentrations being dump

That's virtually impossible. There's several (international and independent) environmental monitoring stations that would pick that up.

Basically, Japanese official and Tepco are always repeating falsehood or deception about nuclear plants, they prioritize to make dangerousness "looks" small than safety.

Fukushima nuclear wastewater that cooled melted reactors directly contain over 200 kinds of radioactivity possibly but Japanese official or Tepco inspect only part of them. But they named it "tritium water""treated water" as if it is same to drainage from other nuclear plants, try to deceive people. 

Originally, failure of optimistic plan by Tepco and Japanese government who ignored criticism caused to such situation but nobody take responsibility. Their "science" is always doubtful and irresponsible.

Also, they insist its "safety", former vice PM or Japanese far-rightists say "It's safe even if drinking" but nobody show to drink it.

Japan and Tepco say as if no option except dumping it into the Pacific but they only chose cheapest way. Present Japan spends vast taxes for arms race but try to reduce budget about safe and health of people maximumly.

They never dump Fukushima nuclear waste water in Tokyo and never reuse it despite "safe". those say it all.

"It's safe even if drinking" but nobody show to drink it.

You're right! They say the water in our toilet is safe, but noone ever drinks it!

They never dump Fukushima nuclear waste water in Tokyo

Yes, I also always wondered why they don't carry my household garbage to Saitama.

I smell a conspiracy.

Water from the toilet isn't safe and should not be drunk.

Only TEPCO wants the water discharged.

I cannot find any site, TEPCO or otherwise, giving an exact analysis of water samples.

Only TEPCO wants the water discharged.

Noone wants the water discharged. But it's the least bad option. Storing it permanently is not possible. Storing it longer just postpones the problem.

I cannot find any site, TEPCO or otherwise, giving an exact analysis of water samples.

I gave a link to the IAEA report in a previous comment.

@wallace

 cannot find any site, TEPCO or otherwise, giving an exact analysis of water samples.

https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/first_interlaboratory_comparison_on_the_determination_of_radionuclides_in_alps_treated_water.pdf

It is easy to put something into water. But can you get it out? This in nuclear waste. And it is going to poison not only the Pacific Ocean. Nuclear is nuclear. We do not know enough of it. Yet. Mixed with salt in the ocean it might become powerful and kill not only fish but swimmers as well. Do not play with nuclear Japan.

We do not know enough of it. Yet.

Except we have half a century of data from other waste water releases, accidents, and nuclear tests.

We know pretty well what will happen. We don't have to guess the future, we can look into the past.

Mixed with salt in the ocean it might become powerful and kill not only fish but swimmers as well.

Does this regularly happen where you live? Because ocean water already has about 17,000 times as much "nuclear" in it as the waste water release will add. Most of it is leftovers from the nuclear bomb tests in the 1950s and 1960s, by the way.

albaleo

https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/first_interlaboratory_comparison_on_the_determination_of_radionuclides_in_alps_treated_water.pdf

Thank you. very complex I will need to study it.

Didn't TEPCO agree to not do anything without the consent of the local fisheries?

I remember they promised that on national news.

TEPCO should honor its promises.

Can we trust them?

This water if evaporated will leave the tritium to be collected and permanently stored. ANYONE! Has this solution been explored.

The Tritium won't break that easy, it will just evaporate with the water and come back with the rain.

There are proper industrial Tritium filters that can do it just fine.

Other solution would be to keep the contaminated water in containers with Dixon rings for some decades so the Cesium 134/137, Cobalt 60, Ruthenium 106, Antimony 125, Strontium 90, Iodine 129, Technetium 99, Carbon 14, etc., will decay.

albaleo

IAEA Report

https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/first_interlaboratory_comparison_on_the_determination_of_radionuclides_in_alps_treated_water.pdf

still reading but

p8/p9

• TEPCO has demonstrated a high level of accuracy in their measurements and technical competence.

• TEPCO's sample collection procedures follow the appropriate methodological standards required to obtain representative samples.

ii

• The selected analytical methods utilized by TEPCO for different radionuclides were appropriate and fit for purpose.

• Neither the IAEA, nor the participating third-party laboratories, detected any additional radionuclides (i.e., radionuclides beyond what is included in the source term) at significant levels.

@wallace

Thank you. very complex I will need to study it.

I was hoping you would summarize it for me. :-)

But thanks for the parts you posted.

There are proper industrial Tritium filters that can do it just fine.

Yes, if you have some 30,000 years time.

https://irid.or.jp/cw/public/337.pdf

tl;dr: Of the seven proposed technologies, "Only CECE has demonstrated a detritiation factor (DF) in excess of 100, which is the minimum required for Fukushima based on the data provided. (...) The CECE has only been demonstrated at small scale (120 L/d). No commercial facility able to treat 400 m³/d is available.

Other solution would be to keep the contaminated water in containers with Dixon rings for some decades so the Cesium 134/137, Cobalt 60, Ruthenium 106, Antimony 125, Strontium 90, Iodine 129, Technetium 99, Carbon 14, etc., will decay.

That's a lot of effort for no real gain. These and all other radionuclides (except, ad nauseum, tritium) are already measured at far below regulatory levels, oftentimes even below detection levels.

albaleo

@wallace

>    Thank you. very complex I will need to study it.

> I was hoping you would summarize it for me. :-)

> But thanks for the parts you posted.

It is too long and too complex to summarize it in a single post but what I take from it is all the groups involved couldn't find anything wrong with TEPCO's sampling methods and all radionuclides left in the water are at acceptable levels or very low levels.

Fishermen generally have solid foundations in chemistry and nuclear physics.

They are able to determine the difference between pop-science, hyperbole and misinformation vs. serious, fact-based scientific data…

It's not science at this point.

It's about trust, broken promises, and most important..politics.

Do we trust TEPCO to do this job?

lunaticToday  10:35 pm JST

It's not science at this point.

Great. Its good to see that you now accept the science.

It's about trust, broken promises, and most important..politics.

Maybe.

Do we trust TEPCO to do this job?

I would trust them more than I would trust you to do it, unless you have any credentials, either academic or experience in the nuclear field?

Who do you suggest do it, if not TEPCO? Fishermen? 100 yen shop employees? JR train drivers? English teachers?

I suggest any company that is not responsible for a triple meltdown, lie on the radiation numbers until got caught, do not tell population when the radiation reach the big cities until got caught again, destroy the infrastructures throwing water from helicopters, and a big etc, etc, etc.

Not even 1 of TEPCO members got punished or demoted.

Forgive us if we lost our faith on them.

Since, Tepco was the one approving the individual claims when people had to be displaced and relocated, which is they clearly have a conflict of interest so it would only be fair that the Japanese fisheries have to approve of the release of water. But unfortunately it's probably not going to work that way.

Do we trust TEPCO to do this job?

No. That's why we double and triple check them (or, really, whoever they are contracting) doing it.

TEPCO will get lazy, start taking shortcuts, care less and less.

'cause they have nothing to lose.

Justice won't punish keidaren companies, if you want help because you've been thrown away from your home and leave your belongings behind. You'll have to get a lawyer and sue TEPCO privately with little to no chance to win.

Do we trust TEPCO to do this job?

No. That's why we

Unserious business.

Pretty Sure tap dancers out here are making comments for a living. Tepco payroll tax write off tag team. Tapity taptap - anshin anzen bottoms up mon amigos!

No proof ever. Just lips moving and pretty words. Waving hands and abracadabra. SOk to be on the take.

Its kinda the only time Looters do Pay isnt it?

Peter NeilJune 24 10:29 pm JST

Ohhh. Now its fisherman. Theyre the problem??

IF unserious business was done right the first time or anytime,

you'd be comin up with answers. All I hear is excuses and jokes.

Sloppy craftsman always blames the tools.

Fishermen generally have solid foundations in chemistry and nuclear physics.

They are able to determine the difference between pop-science, hyperbole and misinformation vs. serious, fact-based scientific data…

Is it so right to sell filtered industrial wastewater in the first place?

Do countries other than Japan use industrial wastewater for drinking or rice cultivation?

Also, countries such as France, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and South Korea are producing more contaminated water than Fukushima from their own nuclear power plants, but has anyone ever said to stop it?

Treated water in Japan has a numerically lower tritium value than contaminated water from nuclear power plants in other countries. And it takes many months to circle the Pacific Ocean.

If the IAEA's inspection is wrong, it is necessary to submit scientific evidence.

Otherwise, it's just reputational damage.

It seems that there are many people spreading false rumors like Koreans who fear mad cow disease.

@Agent_Neo

Also, countries such as France, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and South Korea are producing more contaminated water than Fukushima from their own nuclear power plants, but has anyone ever said to stop it?

you are correct and nearly every country, if not every country, discharges the treated water as do government research centers. I work for one of the two major nuclear service companies in the US, one of our primary revenue streams from treating “liquid radwaste” to dischargeable standards. We are also working at Fukushima which has, at this point, the Ferrari of water treatment systems for radionuclide removal.

The treatment tech has been proven over and over, it’s in use today… it works.

Tritium (hydrogen-3 isotope) the same stuff that makes the hands glow on Seiko watches is the only thing getting through. It is practically harmless at the level we are talking about and is naturally in the world’s water systems. It can’t be removed by any practical process because tritiated water molecules (H-3HO) are water.

So dilution is really a perfectly fine solution in this case. What else are they going to do with the water? Really?

What until you see the responses you’ll get… :)

The thing about contamination of an ecosystem is that even though the initial concentration of contaminants maybe be very weak, there may be concentration as a result of physical and biological processes - e.g., consumption in the food chain, and descent and pooling of dead matter at the ocean bottom, then back into the food chain. This was in fact observed, monitored, and published online in the first few months after 3/11. And then that was termi