Colorado St. Univ., Apr 13, 2015 (emphasis added): CSU partners with Fukushima University to study radiation effects… Many CSU faculty and researchers are contributing to radiation research in Japan… including Thomas Johnson… professor of health physics, who is testing trace radiation samples in seal populations in the northern Pacific Ocean, where radiation from the Fukushima disaster was released.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium presentation, Raphaela Stimmelmayr (Dept. of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough) & Gay Sheffield (Univ.of Alaska – Fairbanks Marine Advisory Program), 2014:
Incidental Gross Necropsy Findings in Subsistence-Harvested Ice Seals and Walruses
• Reproductive system: adnexal cysts [uterus], uterine and penile melanosis [darkening of skin], cliteromegaly [enlarged clitoris], cryptorchism [testicle(s) absent from scrotum], retained placenta;
• Endocrine system: thyroid cysts, adrenal nodules;
• Musculoskeletal system: synovial cyst [fluid-filled sacs in spine due to degeneration];
• Integumentary system: panniculitis [inflammation of fatty tissue], epidermal molt, skin sloughing;
• Respiratory system: lung tumor, parasitic granulomas [inflammation that forms when immune system is unable to eliminate a substance];
• Digestive system: microdontia [teeth smaller than normal], chronic interstitial pancreatitis [inflammation of pancreas], hepatic cyst [liver], cholestatic jaundice [yellowing of skin caused by thickening of bile or problems in liver], geophagia [eating dirt], and primary diffuse peritoneal tumor [membrane lining abdomen];
• A variety of the observed disease conditions are reported for the first time in ice seals and/or walruses.
• The majority of observed conditions in our material is classified as benign and are mostly inconsequential to the health of the harvested animals.
“BRACEVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Radioactive tritium has leaked from three-quarters of U.S. commercial nuclear power sites, often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping, an Associated Press investigation shows.
“The number and severity of the leaks has been escalating, even as federal regulators extend the licenses of more and more reactors across the nation.
“Tritium, which is a radioactive form of hydrogen, has leaked from at least 48 of 65 sites, according to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission records reviewed as part of the AP’s yearlong examination of safety issues at aging nuclear power plants. Leaks from at least 37 of those facilities contained concentrations exceeding the federal drinking water standard — sometimes at hundreds of times the limit.
“While most leaks have been found within plant boundaries, some have migrated offsite. But none is known to have reached public water supplies.
“At three sites — two in Illinois and one in Minnesota — leaks have contaminated drinking wells of nearby homes, the records show, but not at levels violating the drinking water standard. At a fourth site, in New Jersey, tritium has leaked into an aquifer and a discharge canal feeding picturesque Barnegat Bay off the Atlantic Ocean. …” read full report here: http://www.ap.org/company/awards/part-ii-aging-nukes
Today I heard a yet unpublished, unconfirmed news coming from a Mongolia Antinuclear activist :
As Areva is very busy exploring and mining uranium in Mongolia, journalists and local opponents are definitely not welcomed around.
A French woman named Caroline, who recently came to Mongolia together with a French man journalist, with the intention of filming a documentary, about Areva’s uranium activities in Mongolia, were guided by a few local Mongolian antinuclear activists to a certain place in Mongolia where Areva has a campsite, for uranium exploration in the aera.
According to my source, they both quickly returned from that place, the French woman severely wounded by knife, both of them renouncing completely to film their documentary, and they immediately flew back to France, cutting short their stay in Mongolia.
I have asked to my source to look discreetly for further details: what date did this happened, what location in Mongolia. But I told my source most of all to not take risks digging that story, to tread very lightly.
Conclusion: Mongolia is a bit far and isolated, so already very little news is trickling out, but if some journalists or film makers intend to go there uninvited to make a scoop on Areva Mongol’s activities there, it may become quickly unhealthy for them!
Historical background April 13, 2007 – Russia, Mongolia to jointly prospect, produce, process uranium
“[Nuclear power agency] Rosatom and Mongolia’s industry and trade ministry signed a protocol on development of cooperation in the field of geological prospecting, production and processing of uranium ores,” Rosatom secretary Sergei Novikov said on April 13, 2007. Rosatom head Sergei Kiriyenko held a meeting with Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar and held talks with the country’s prime minister, Miegombyn Enkhbold, during which it was agreed to implement international projects in Russia and Mongolia. (RIA Novosti, April 13, 2007) April 11, 2008 – Russia-Mongolia uranium agreement signed
Russia and Mongolia have signed an agreement to cooperate in the production of Mongolian uranium. Prime minister Sanjaa Bayar also told journalists that his country is interested in building a nuclear power plant with Russian help.
According to reports, the agreement signed during a visit by Bayar to Moscow comprises a plan of joint actions whereby Russian specialists would assist in the uranium exploration, extraction and processing in Mongolia. OECD Nuclear Energy Agency and International Atomic Agency figures show Mongolia’s ‘reasonably assured’ uranium resources are currently estimated at some 46,000 tonnes, but Sergei Kiryenko, head of Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, was upbeat about the possibility the country could have much more. “I think they are more than officially registered, over 100,000 tonnes,” he said. (WNN 11 Apr. 2008) April 24, 2009 – IAEA offers assistance with development of uranium deposits to Mongolia
Mongolia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will work together toward implementing a joint program for the peaceful and effective use of the nation’s uranium. IAEA Director General ElBaradei said the IAEA will support Mongolia’s efforts to use its proven reserves with the help of international assistance. (UB Post Apr. 24, 2009) July 16, 2009 – Japan and Mongolia sign agreement on joint uranium mine development
Japan and Mongolia signed a mine development agreement Thursday (July 16), as resource-poor Tokyo searches for ways to secure mineral products. Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso agreed with visiting Mongolian premier Sanjaa Bayar that their nations would jointly develop uranium mines for use in nuclear power plants. (Straits Times July 16, 2009) Sept. 14, 2009 – India signs uranium supply agreement with Mongolia
India Monday (Sep. 14) signed a uranium supply agreement with Mongolia, the fifth country to seal a civil nuclear pact with New Delhi, and announced a soft loan of $25 million to rejuvenate the economy of the resource-rich Central Asian country. (SamayLive Sep 14, 2009) Oct. 7, 2009 – Areva signs agreement with Mongolia
French nuclear company Areva has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on nuclear energy and radioactive materials cooperation with Mongolia’s Atomic Energy Department (AED). Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon reiterated Areva’s interest in increasing its investment in Mongolia and infomed the Mongolian president that her company would “assist Mongolia to train its mining specialists.” (WNN Oct. 7, 2009) Dec. 21, 2009 – Mitsubishi Corporation joins Areva with uranium exploration in Mongolia
On Dec. 21, 2009, Areva announced that it has invited Mitsubishi Corporation to participate in the development of its uranium exploration assets in Mongolia with the possibility of acquiring 34% of Areva Mongol over time. Areva currently holds 36 uranium exploration licenses on more than 14,000 km2 in both the Dornogobi and Sukhbaatar provinces. Jan. 13, 2010 – India to mine uranium in Mongolia
India and Mongolia on Wednesday (Jan. 13) decided to operationalise their pact on civil nuclear cooperation by assisting in capacity creation for Ulan Bator’s nuclear sector and considering the manner in which India would begin uranium mining in Mongolia. (The Hindu Jan. 13, 2010) July 19, 2010 – China and Mongolia sign Memorandum of Understanding on nuclear power cooperation
On June 1, Mr. Sun Qin, General Manager of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Radioactive Minerals and Nuclear Power Cooperation (MOU) with Mr. Enkhbat, Director General of the Mongolian Nuclear Energy Agency in the presence of the premiers of the two states during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Mongolia. The execution of the MOU laid the foundation for cooperation between the two countries in peaceful use of nuclear energy and uranium resources in particular. (CNNC July 19, 2010) Nov. 2, 2010 – France and Mongolia sign agreement on nuclear cooperation, uranium mining
On Oct. 14, 2010, France and Mongolia signed a cooperation agreement in the field of nuclear energy. It covers, among others, uranium exploration and exploitation by Areva in Mongolia. (Areva Nov. 2, 2010) Dec. 27, 2010 – Russia and Mongolia uranium mining joint venture
According to RIA Novosti, the Russian Federation Council ratified on Dec. 24 the agreement with Mongolia on the creation of a uranium mining joint venture. (Emfis Dec. 27, 2010) 107 uranium exploration licenses issued in Mongolia
According to the Nuclear Energy Authority, 107 uranium exploration licenses have been issued in Mongolia so far. Two uranium exploitation licenses have been issued as well. The agency also says the state spent MNT 16 billion for uranium exploration in 2009, MNT 25.1 billion in 2010, and MNT 37.1 billion in 2011.
Specialists say most exploration work is being done in Dornod, Sukhbaatar, and Dornogobi aimags. A total of nine uranium deposit mines have been identified in the country, and these mines have an estimated 68,500 tons of uranium. Forty-three exploration licenses have been granted in Dornogobi aimag, 26 in Dornod aimag, and 19 in Sukhbaatar aimag. Twenty-eight companies have finished research and test work and have begun to prepare to exploit uranium deposits. Some companies are planning to exploit uranium beginning in 2014 and to build uranium processing facilities in Dornod, Dornogobi, and Dundgobi aimags. (news.mn Dec. 16, 2011) Two uranium processing facilities to be built in Dornod province
The Nuclear Energy Authority says it has big plans for Mongolia’s uranium mining industry. The authority says two uranium processing facilities will be built in Dornod aimag (province), and construction preparation work is already underway. The factories will export uranium products to France and Kazakhstan.
Uranium exploration efforts began in Mongolia in 2009, and the Nuclear Energy Authority is planning to intensify exploration efforts. The work of establishing uranium mines in Dornod and Dundgobi aimags has begun. (news.mn Dec. 28, 2011) http://www.wise-uranium.org/upmn.html April 2013 – The French nuclear giant AREVA (EPA:AREVA) revealed information about a new uranium discovery in Mongolia.
AREVA Mongol, its Mongolian subsidiary, reported 50,000 tonnes of uranium in inferred resources with a grade of 0.01% as a result of ongoing exploration efforts at the Zoovch Ovoo project.
The project is located in Ulaanbadrah Soum, in the southeastern Dornogobi province of Mongolia.
Uranium mineralization is characterized as roll-front type and potentially amenable for the most effective lowest-cost in-situ leaching (ISL, a.k.a in-situ recovery) mining method.
Thus, by the volume of uranium resources in-situ, the Zoovch Ovoo project is comparable to the biggest deposits of that type in Kazakhstan.
This is not the only Mongolian exploration success for AREVA in recent years.
Two years ago, the company announced the discovery of the Dulaan Uul deposit with 9,888 tonnes of uranium, following field tests which confirmed the ISL mining method as preferable.
AREVA Mongol has 28 exploration licenses covering more than 14,100 square kilometres in the East Gobi province of Mongolia. This huge sedimentary basin contains promising uranium deposits well-suited to ISL mining technology.
Areva Operations in Mongolia AREVA Mongol LLC AREVA Mongol, the parent company
In 2007, AREVA purchased the East Asia Minerals Energy company, renamed it AREVA Mongol in March 2008. AREVA Mongol LLC is the parent company of the entities in Mongolia. Its headquarters are in Ulaanbaatar, the capital.
All support functions are grouped together. It counts with its entities, nearly 120 employees of which over 90% are of Mongolian origin.
Since 2009, AREVA Mongol owns 100% of Cogegobi. In November 2011, Mitsubishi has exercised its previous agreement of an investment option, becoming 34% shareholder in Areva Mongol LLC. Cogegobi LLC for exploration
The Cogegobi LLC company holds all the uranium deposit exploration permits (22 licenses). All functions related to exploration are grouped unde Cogegobi LLC. AREVA Mining LLC for the mining operations
AREVA Mines LLC (66% AREVA MONGOL LLC, MON-ATOM 34%) is the company that will own the mining licenses that will be requested by Cogegobi to the International Atomic Energy Agency
All functions relating to the operation will be consolidated within AREVA Mines LLC. http://www.areva.com/FR/activites-586/areva-en-mongolie-une-presence-renforcee-et-prometteuse.html
Uranium in Mongolia : 1.47 millionTU estimated !
According to the 2011 Red Book, Mongolia has 74,000 tU in Reasonably Assured Resources plus Inferred Resources, to US$ 130/kg U. However, geological indications reported in the Red Book suggest that uranium resources could be 1.47 million tU.
The mining sector is Mongolia’s single largest industry, accounting for 55% of industrial output and more than 40% of export earnings. http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Country-Profiles/Countries-G-N/Mongolia/
Antinuclear in Mongolia Herders on horseback protesting in Ulaanbaatar against mining activities
Central Square of the capital city is more crowded than usual for the last ten days. United under the moto “Save the Nation”, members of three civil movements – United for Rivers and Lakes , Khuder River , and Gal Undesten – started to converge on Sukhbaatar Square since April 19th with 100 horsemen and horse carts and erected eight gers (yurts) there. Most of them are herders, who have come on horseback from countryside to demand stopping of mining activities that destroys their pastureland.
All the members had their heads bound in bands and held sign boards with the slogans “We want resignation of the Government!”, “Give power to the People!”. The movement wants a national discussion on the present situation, resignation of the Government, and dissolution of Parliament. Moreover, they already have the anthem “Wake up Mongols”, which has been playing all day at the Sukhbaatar Square.
According to an activist of the movement there are about 400 people from different soums (counties) of 18 provinces participating in this civil movement to protect their living areas. They are calling out people to join and to involve in the movement at the Sukhbaatar Square. Both the assembly and the putting up of gers in Sukhbaatar Square are in violation of orders, but the gers are still there. Another 300 horsemen are on their way to Ulaanbaatar from the western provinces to join those already here. (UB Post Apr. 26, 2011) Uranium Action Day: protests at Areva office in Ulaanbaatar
Activists of Golomt – Anti Nuclear Movement Mongolia held protests against the proposed uranium mining in Mongolia at the offices of Areva in Ulaanbaatar on Sep. 29, and Oct. 1, 2012. (Golomt Oct. 2, 2012) Demonstration in Ulaanbaatar against uranium extraction in Mongolia
Several NGOs expressed their opposition against uranium extraction in Mongolia, informed the public of the fatal effects deriving from uranium in Ulaanbadrakh soum [county], and prompted decision makers to visit the soum in Dornogovi Province to witness the conditions, at a peaceful demonstration at the Central Square [in Ulaanbaatar] on Monday (June 9).
Residents of Ulaanbadrakh soum have contacted the NGOs for support against uranium operation of Gogegobi LLC and Areva Mongol LLC, fully owned subsidiary of France-headquartered uranium-giant Areva, at the soum which has reportedly seen 200 livestock die and many more with birth defects due to uranium contamination in the region. (UBPost June 12, 2014) http://www.wise-uranium.org/upmn.html
As groundwater has been pumped up via the outdoor subdrain pits, this has created a situation where the standing water in the basements could end up higher than the surrounding groundwater.
TEPCO is making an effort to lower the water level in some of the basement rooms of the unit 1 reactor buildings.
This work also showed that much of the water still sitting in certain areas of the basements of unit 1 is highly radioactive as seen in this table below.
TEPCO is installing more water level monitoring sensors to better control the water in the basements.
This could lead to more contaminated water leaking out of the buildings.
福島の鼻血「内部被ばくか」 Nosebleed in Fukushima – Internal Exposure 神戸の医師、学会で発表
After the nuclear accident caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, numerous nosebleed cases in children in the prefecture of Fukushima raised immediate worries.
東日本大震災による原発事故の後、福島県では、子どもを中心に鼻血が出る症状が相次いだ。
As it was shown in the now infamous Manga “Oishinbo”, which was heavily criticized for showing these nosebleeds and was accused of spreading “harmful” rumors, these cases can be attributed to internal exposure by inhaling metal radioactive particles substance that cling on the mucosa of the nose. According to Dr. Goji Hideo, about one in two evacuees from Fukushima are experiencing nosebleeds, sometimes entire families. Sudden nosebleed started to subside after evacuation. Goji sensei graduated at the Kobe University School of Medicine and is the Director of the Higashikanbe clinic (Kobe). He continues to treat survivors and serve as a health counselor for the victims of Fukushima. You can follow some of his seminars and speeches on IWJ.
Anyone with a brain could have told you back in 2011 at the time of the Fukushima nuclear triple meltdown that Tokyo Electric (Tepco) was lying about the true condition of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant No. 1 (“Dai-ichi”). Four years later, Tepco officials have finally admitted that it may not be technologically possible to decommission the plant.
The long history of the criminal insanity and negligence of the nuclear industry is revealed in our book, Fukushima: Dispossession or Denuclearization? (edited by Nadesan, Boys, McKillop & Wilcox) which was published last year, and includes detailed chapters from a number of writers who document the nuclear crimes.
In the case of Tepco (Tipkill), the facts are overwhelming that not only was Fukushima an “accident waiting to happen” but rather “a foregone conclusion.” The location of the plant on soft fill soil at a low altitude near the ocean in a tsunami zone was the first big mistake of the planners, who must have graduated from the Homer Simpson school of donutology. Cost-cutting, corruption and incompetence is part of the well-documented history, which ultimately led to the triple meltdowns.
Will the destroyed reactors ultimately need to be buried in a sarcophagus as has been done with Chernobyl which now has the world’s largest moveable “building” covering it (at no small expense)? One big problem — Chernobyl was just one reactor and rests on rock-solid ground, so the radiation can’t go too far downward. At Fukushima the reactors rest on a mushy place next to the ocean which is also atop an underground aquifer/river deep below it. It is theoretically possible that the radiation could leak into that aquifer and reach Tokyo someday.
If they have to build a sarcophagus it will be Mission Impossible since the shielding would have to be underground as well. Nuclear engineer, Arnie Gundersen proposed this as the only solution and noted a complicated underground piping system would have to be installed to process the leaking radiation before it escapes to the ocean. He also said it may take 500 years to decommission Fukushima.
Now, some of the big-wigs at Tepco have admitted it may be impossible to decommission Fukushima due to the technical hurdles, namely, that retrieving the melted fuel is going to take years to accomplish since the technology does not yet exist (1; 2). Decommissioning Fukushima will involve a great deal of time and money, but also intelligent coordination of R&D, which has thus far not been the path. Bureaucracies, as everyone knows, do just the opposite, they wallow in inefficiency. Maybe Japan needs a strong and benevolent dictator.
One of the main technical problems with retrieving the melted fuel is that it must constantly be cooled in water, but the containers are full of holes and leaks. However, as our friend Nancy Foust of the Simply Info website points out, “the International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning (IRID) already includes a ‘no water’ option in their rough planning. If that is the route they will have to go then they will need to put all their effort into that research” (personal communication, April, 2015).
Focusing effort into the right research is good advice, however IRID also made the dubious claim that the fuel could be retrieved within ten years which contradicts the pessimism of other officials and draws into question IRID credibility. Somebody ought to get the story straight.
The level of BS at Fukushima is almost as deep as how far the fuel may have melted underground. One scenario from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) describes the melted fuel in a state whereby it “erodes sideways…. The final size of the pooling maximum case is 10 to 15 meters in diameter, and 6-7 meters deep– or even deeper” (3).
Fukushima Diary reports that “Tepco and the government of Japan have been saying though molten fuel had a core-concrete reaction in [the] pedestal, but [has] stopped sinking in the concrete.” Now Tepco is starting to admit the fuel may be “outside of [the] pedestal, Tepco needs to investigate the sub-basement floor of Reactor 1. It is reported that the feasibility of inspection would be confirmed in the end of 2015” (4). Maybe they are now getting ready to admit it is indeed outside the concrete floor.
Foust told me that the location of the fuel could have been determined back in 2012 using “muon” cosmic ray scanners. Apparently this was not done because Homer Simpson, who is in charge of Fukushima decommissioning, spent the funds on donuts.
Seriously, not only is this a kind of gross incompetence (which is reminiscent of the way nuclear operations have been carried out throughout most of the world since the technology was adopted) but also appears to be a blatant political cover-up. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) want to keep news of the actual location of the fuel secret until after they have restarted a number of the currently idled reactors in Japan. Politicians lie, governments lie, corporations are amoral killing machines. Abe even admitted he lied to the Olympic committee in order to get the 2020 Olympics bid when he told them “everything is under control” at Fukushima.
Could it be these admissions by Tepco of the dire situation are part of a psychological conditioning to get more money out of the government? One should never take statements from powerful individuals or governments/corporations at face value. On the other hand, the new chief of decommissioning, Mr. Masuda, may be a more honest and intelligent engineer and sincere about getting at the problem.
Foust provides us with a useful overview and summary of the sorry situation:
At some point the true state of Daiichi will have to be made public. The true state must be known and understood in order to do the needed research towards whatever resolution is determined to be the end goal. Right now that is fuel retrieval so the buildings could eventually be torn down. The muon scans are a step in that direction. They can use those to establish if any fuel is left in the reactors or not. If you remember back to 2011 TEPCO was insisting that most of the fuel was still in the reactor vessels. As more data is completed TEPCO is forced to admit reality.The next step after the muon scans for units 1-3 is to put the Hitachi shape changing robot into containment. If that goes as planned it will tell them where the fuel is, or isn’t. That is going to be the huge bit of data. Once the fuel is located and disclosed the extent of the meltdowns will have to be admitted. IMHO this is why LDP is so intent on getting reactors restarted right now.
What is problematic in all of this is that TEPCO is still involved. Because TEPCO is involved and also ultimately responsible for the bill for the entire mess, it is a conflict of interest. They want to deal with the problem but as cheaply as possible. You can’t have a challenge of international proportion and a self serving company who only cares about profits. TEPCO has a documented habit of taking concepts put forth by contractors or outside researchers then trying to do them on the cheap. Then the project doesn’t perform as planned and the money is wasted. The holding ponds are a perfect example of that.
Some of these efforts really are experiments. Nobody has tried these things before in this context. So it should be expected that some things won’t work as hoped right out of the box, some might need adjustments. But when you add TEPCO cost cutting to that challenge is becomes very problematic.
As far as the condition of the reactors. We had a pretty good idea in 2011 about what took place in the three melted down units. TEPCO won’t admit the possibility of something until there is no denying it so it is a slow process of enough evidence that some facet can no longer be ignored.
I must remind readers that alternative energy is viable, it is here and now. Even Forbes magazine published an article by the world’s leading alternative energy expert, Amory Lovins, proving irrefutably that Japan could be a rich source for solar and wind power which could significantly diminish the need for carbon let alone nuclear energy sources.
Ultimately nuclear power is rooted in the liberal ideology of unleashing nature’s potential as an inevitable process of human development. However, as Russia’s leading political philosopher, Alexander Dugin points out, “liberalism” in its truest form leads to the ultimate destruction of humanity: by replacing traditions with corporate hegemony; by replacing nature with artificial reality; and by replacing humans with robots (transhumanism) (5).
It could be argued that the wind and sun are natural sources of energy in keeping with his conservative ideology. In that sense, Dugin states correctly:
If you are in favor of global liberal hegemony, you are the enemy.
Any material that radioactive cesium contamination exceeds 8000 Bq / kg should be classified radioactive waste.However, according to the Ministry of Environment, 3648 tons of waste, which contamination is exceeding this limit, were not correctly classified.This is in Miyagi Prefecture where are the most, with 2711 tons and in Iwate Prefecture, with 710 tons. It is mostly rice straw and hay.
The municipalities concerned are responsible for storing this waste the time that a final solution is found by the government.But some preferred to say nothing to protect their image.For others, it’s a hardship. In Kurihara (Miyagi Prefecture), for example, there are officially 974 tons of rice straw exceeding the 8000 Bq / kg limit, which the town does not know what to do with.And the government has nothing to offer for now because the search for a storage site is blocked. So as there is more downside to declare the waste many prefer to say nothing.
In late December 2014, there were officially 157,420 tons of radioactive waste accumulated in 12 provinces other than Fukushima.
Asahi Shimbun, Feb 28, 2015 (emphasis added): The nation’s nuclear watchdog body slammed [TEPCO] over its failure to disclose information on the leakage of radioactive rainwater into the sea… TEPCO President Naomi Hirose… apologized profusely… TEPCO became aware more than a year ago that the concentration of radioactive materials in the water flowing… was high [first disclosing it to regulators] January 2014… TEPCO continued to conceal details, including the fact that the concentration became high whenever it rained… However, TEPCO had decided long ago there was no need to monitor rainwater for radioactive materials.
NHK transcript, Feb 27, 2015 : Experts and local government officials visited the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to examine sources of contaminated water flowing into the sea… Experts urged the operator to investigate whether rooftops of other reactor buildings are also sources of tainted water.
Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb 26, 2015: NRA chief slams TEPCO for data reporting delay… after rainwater contaminated with high-level radioactive materials leaked… into the sea… TEPCO reported in January last year that the radioactivity concentration in that trench was higher… TEPCO at last announced… high-level radioactivity [in water] on the rooftop of the No. 2 reactor building… might be one of the sources of contamination… The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry… pointed out the likelihood of there being other sources of contamination… The Fisheries Agency on Wednesday conducted an emergency hearing with TEPCO officials… and told the utility firm to take measures to minimize damage impacting marine products… “We urge TEPCO to make details clear.”
Japan Times, Feb 26, 2015: [Tepco] admitted Thursday that its latest problem with radioactive water has shattered the trust it was building in Fukushima… and that the decommissioning of the Fukushima No. 1 plant might be delayed [after] the surge in radiation detected in the water draining into the sea… The utility said the source of the contamination is the roof of the No. 2 reactor building, which… remains heavily contaminated.
Arirang, Feb 26, 2015: Tokyo under fire for alleged cover-up of radioactive water — [TEPCO] is under heavy fire for staying silent over a radioactive leak… flowing into the Pacific Ocean.
Fishermen in Fukushima Prefecture slammed Tokyo Electric Power Co. on Wednesday after it emerged that water containing cesium and other radioactive isotopes has been draining into the Pacific near the Fukushima No. 1 plant and that Tepco did nothing to prevent it despite learning of the leak last May.
“I don’t understand why (Tepco) kept silent even though they knew about it. Fishery operators are absolutely shocked,” Masakazu Yabuki, chief of the Iwaki fisheries cooperative, said at a meeting with Tepco officials.
Local fishermen have already given Tepco approval to dump groundwater into the ocean before it becomes tainted, to reduce the volume of water stored in tanks at the site. The operator is now doing this, pumping water from wells, monitoring it and piping it into the ocean.
The latest incident threatens to delay a second round of approval that Tepco wants the fishermen to provide.
The utility admitted Tuesday it failed to disclose leaks of rainwater containing radioactive substances from a drainage ditch at the stricken plant even though it was aware of high radiation in the water last spring.
The ditch receives runoff from the roof of the No. 2 reactor building, which is highly contaminated with radioactive substances such as cesium.
Tepco has said it recorded 29,400 becquerels of radioactive cesium per liter in water pooled on the rooftop.
The water also contained 52,000 becquerels of beta-ray-emitting radioactive substances such as strontium-90. It also detected some 1,050 becquerels of radioactive cesium and 1,500 becquerels of beta ray-emitting radioactive materials per liter near an outlet leading to the sea.
Tepco said there is no major change in the concentration of radioactive substances in seawater it sampled about 1 km from the drainage outlet.
Meanwhile on Sunday, Tepco reported water contaminated with high levels of radiation was flowing into the ocean at the plant’s port through another drainage ditch.
Yuji Moriyama, a Tepco spokesman said the utility did not disclose the information because there is no evidence of environmental impact.
“We were aware that the levels of radioactive materials around the drainage ditch were higher than other places,” Moriyama said, adding that they have been investigating the sources of contamination since last spring.
Less than one-fifth of evacuees from the Fukushima nuclear disaster say they want to return to their homes, despite government efforts to speed up reconstruction in areas with lower radiation levels.
The finding came from a survey by the Reconstruction Agency conducted between August and October last year that covered about 7,100 evacuee households in Namie; 2,400 in Futaba; 4,000 in Okuma; and 5,600 in Tomioka.
Between 51 percent and 60 percent of the households responded to the poll, including those living outside Fukushima Prefecture.
The four towns, all situated near the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, are divided into three zones based on annual radiation dosage levels: “difficult-to-return zones” with 50 millisieverts or more; “no-residence zones” between 20 and 50 millisieverts; and “zones being prepared for lifting of evacuation order,” with 20 millisieverts or less.
The central government has placed priority on decontaminating and reconstructing infrastructure in the latter zones to enable residents to return to their homes.
However, the survey showed that just 19.4 percent of evacuee households from “zones being prepared for lifting of evacuation order” in Namie wanted to return, while 14.7 percent of those in the zones in Tomioka felt the same.
Among evacuees from no-residence zones, 16.6 percent of households from Namie and 11.1 percent from Tomioka said they plan to return home when they are allowed.
Among those evacuated from difficult-to-return zones, 17.5 percent of households from Namie and 11.8 percent from Tomioka said they hope to resettle in their homes some day.
About 80 percent of all households in Namie and 70 percent of those in Tomioka are from no-residence zones and “zones being prepared for lifting of evacuation order.”
Still, even if the government lifts the evacuation order for these areas, only a handful of evacuees are likely to return, which would crimp revitalization plans for the towns.
Meanwhile, 32.4 percent of households evacuated from no-residence zones in Okuma, which cohosts the crippled plant with Futaba, said they want to return home.
The higher figure reflects preferential construction by the central government and town office of key facilities to promote the town’s reconstruction, spurring hope among residents to return. Decontamination work and restoration of a local highway route are also nearing an end in Okuma.
However, just 3 percent of Okuma residents are from no-residence zones, while the rest are from difficult-to-return zones.
Tepco admits that it failed to disclose a leak since last year April 2014.
Unit 2′s roof and downspouts have been draining directly out to sea since the disaster. Water found on unit 2′s roofs was highly radioactive with 52,000 bq/liter on one roof
TEPCO did attempt to manage this by throwing down bags of zeolite at the downspout entrance and again at the drainage canal exits. Plans submitted to IRID for a drainage canal filter system called for a much more sophisticated system that would have forced any water leaving these drainage canals through a series of filters.
Zeolite bags were also placed around the entrance to the downspouts on the building roofs. Radiation readings in the downspout water was significantly lower than the water on the roof. A filter that forces all outgoing water through the filter media would have at least worked to more effectively filter water.
On 2/22/2015, Tepco announced the radiation level suddenly jumped up in the plant area drain to let it flow to the sea.
According to Tepco, 2 radiation monitors detected the rapid increase of all β nuclide density (to include Strontium-90) around 10:00AM.
The indicated radiation level was 5,050,000 〜 5,630,000 Bq/m3.
It made Tepco check the potential leakage of the contaminated water tanks upstream and contaminated water transferring system, but they did not shut down the drain outlet for nearly 3 hours for some reason.
Extremely high level of all β nuclide was detected from seawater near the outlet, which was 3,000,000 Bq/m3. The contaminated water flowed to the sea.
The highest density detected by the monitor was 7,230,000 Bq/m3, which was 10 〜 100 times much as usual.
After all, Tepco found no leakage from contaminated water related facility upstream. There is a possibility that highly contaminated groundwater moved and flowed to the drain.
Currently they are collecting the water from drain by vacuum truck.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said Sunday that an alarm went off at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant signaling high radioactivity levels in drainage ditches.
According to the NRA and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co., the first alarm sounded at around 10 a.m., and another alarm 10 minutes later indicated much higher levels. Officials said contaminated water may have been discharged into the ditches.
The levels of beta ray-emitting substances, such as strontium-90, measured 5,050 to 7,230 becquerels per liter of water between 10:20 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. Tepco requires radioactivity levels of groundwater at the plant discharged into the sea to remain below 5 becquerels.
Since the drainage ditches are connected to the port of the No. 1 plant, the NRA has instructed Tepco to shut the gates there, officials said.
Tepco confirmed that no leaks from tanks containing radioactive water were found, but said it was investing further.
The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says it has detected high levels of radioactive substances in a drainage channel on the plant’s premises on Sunday. The Tokyo Electric Power Company is investigating the cause.
TEPCO says the plant’s alarm system went off around 10 AM. It showed a rise in radioactivity in the channel that leads to a nearby port.
Measurements showed that levels of beta-ray emitting substances, which are not detected under normal circumstances, had risen to up to 7,230 Becquerels per liter.
The figure is 10 times higher than when rain causes the level to rise temporarily.
The utility suspects that contaminated water in the channel may have leaked into the port.
It has suspended all operations to transfer contaminated water and closed a gate of the channel by the port.
The drainage channel used to be connected to a section of coast beyond the port. TEPCO rerouted it after a series of leaks in 2013.
The company says the water level in a tank that contains contaminated water remains unchanged, showing no signs of leakage, and drain valves that keep water from leaking near the tanks remain closed.
The utility is investigating the cause of the rise of radioactivity in the channel.
A recent article from the Anchorage Alaska Dispatch News on 02-14-15, “Rash of sleep-related infant deaths troubles health officials” bears consideration.
Many of the infant deaths are attributed to babies sleeping with parents, alcohol abuse, poor parenting, etc. Notably, the article stated: “Almost of the families who suffered a recent baby death were low income.” But, has infant care and poverty varied that much in the past decade?
Infant mortality in Alaska has been falling for years, however 122 infants died in 2012-2013, compared to 85 deaths two years before.
Research of causes of this highly unexpected increase is needed, and consideration should be given to the arrival of radioactive fallout from Fukushima after the 2011 meltdown. Radiation levels were highest in Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific west coast .
Since we know the un-born and young are at greater risk from exposure to nuclear radiation, effects that have been documented since the Marshall Islands nuclear tests, x-rays of pregnant women, and the Chernobyl catastrophe of 1986.
According to the CDC, infant (<1 year) deaths in Alaska have been falling steadily, but increaseds after 2011:
2010-2011 390.82 per 100,000 births(86 deaths)
2012-2013 533.66 per 100,000 births (122 deaths)
This is a 37% increase in the rate per 100,000
Few data exist, but CDC did collect gross beta in air (picocuries per cubic meter). The period March 15 to April 30 in 2011 was the peak period when Fukushima fallout entered the environment.
For Anchorage AK, the levels are:
March 15 to April 30, 2010 (14 measurements) .0029 pCi/m3
March 15 to April 30, 2011 (13 measurements) .0113 pCi/m3
Dividing .0113 / .0029 and you get a ratio 3.86 times higher in 2011.
The 2011/2010 ratio for the rest of the year was 0.79 (2010 was actually higher than 2011).
Gross beta isn’t the most precise measure, but it is indicative of other isotopes that are documented from Fukushima.
After Chernobyl, and significantly, in Belarus, data confirmed elevated Cs-137 levels and adverse effects upon the blood, blood vessels and hearts of children. This research, by Bandashevsky demonstrated the link between Cs-137 and heart damage in Belarus’ children and in laboratory animals, and earned him a prison sentence.
We know that high and continuing levels of isotopes, including Cs-137 are being released from the damaged Fukushima plants. Cs-137, like potassium becomes deposited in soft tissue.
As for the infant deaths in Alaska, we hope that careful and complete autopsies were performed on the dead children, and that levels of radioisotopes be measured in humans and wildlife.
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