Fukushima radiation in seafood chain – record level in rockfish
Record cesium levels measured in Fukushima rockfish, signaling radiation woes in food chain far from over in Japan, Part of: Nuclear meltdown in Japan Less than two months shy of the second anniversary of the devastating triple nuclear meltdown at Japan’s coastal Fukushima Daiichi plant, a fish containing more than 2,500 times Japan’s legal limit for radiation has been caught by the plant’s operator in waters near the wrecked facility. Bellona, Charles Digges, 21/01-201
The ‘murasoi’ fish, similar to a rockfish – indicating an amount of cesium measuring 254,000 Becquerel per kilogram, or 2,540 times Japans limit for radiation in seafood – was caught at a port inside the plant by its owner, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) Friday, according to AFP.
The utility also released a photo of the fish, caught near an unloading point north of the No. 1 through No. 4 reactors. No fishermen operate in the nuclear plant’s port.
Friday’s catch shatters the previous record for wildlife contamination as a result of radioactive contamination, which was was 25,800 Becquerel of cesium per kilogram found in two greenlings caught about 20 kilometers north of the plant in August 2012, the Asashi Shimbun newspaper reported.
Other countries are also increasingly distressed by the amount of irradiated marine life turning up near their coastlines along the Pacific Rim: Over the summer, Russia’s state English language television station RT reported concern over fish caught off its coast near Japan.
In May, a tuna contaminated by low levels of radiation was found near the California coast, Reuters reported……. http://www.bellona.org/articles/articles_2012/fukushima_rockfish
Removing uranium from water – Kansas residents willing to pay for this
Kansas communities pay to rid water of uranium, Enquirer Herald, 20 Jan 13, The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Residents across Kansas have safer drinking water thanks to steps their communities have taken to rid the water of harmful elements such as uranium and arsenic. But those residents also are facing considerable hikes in water bills to pay for the improvements.
Lakin residents are paying water rates about 10 times higher than they had before the city began construction on a $6.5 million water treatment plant to eliminate naturally-occurring uranium from the drinking water.
Rates are up about three times in Clay Center, where the city has built a $10-million treatment plant also to deal with uranium, which can occur in some aquifers….. http://www.enquirerherald.com/2013/01/20/2276642/kansas-communities-pay-to-rid.html
South Dakota: precious water endangered by “in-situ” uranium minng
as for water quality, we know from the history of in situ leach
uranium mining that the groundwater will be contaminated. Leaks and
spills are common. Every in situ uranium mine has them. And at the end
of the process — when things have supposedly been “cleaned up” — the
groundwater has always been left polluted with radioactivity and with
things like arsenic, selenium and lead.
FORUM: In situ uranium mining will pollute water
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/opinion/forum-in-situ-uranium-mining-will-pollute-water/article_ecc53035-6f34-5293-8d5f-08b0e619bee0.html
January 12, 2013 Plans to mine uranium north of Edgemont remain
controversial — and with good reason. The company involved, Powertech
Uranium, is a foreign corporation that has never mined anything. They
want to use 9,000 gallons per minute of our water. And they will leave
the water contaminated with radiation and other things — like every
other “in situ” leach uranium mine in U.S. history.
In situ leach mining involves pumping a solution underground, where it
loosens the uranium from the rock, and then pumping the uranium-filled
solution back to the surface. Continue reading
At long last – cleanup of radiation area at Staten Island
Radiation clean up to start in Staten Island’s Gateway National
Recreation Area, SI Live.com By Deborah Young/Staten Island Advance
January 11, 2013 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The long-awaited survey and
clean-up of radiation-contaminated ballfields, along with more than
200 acres of green space in Gateway National Recreation Area’s Great
Kills Park should begin next week, according to the National Park
Service (NPS), under whose stewardship the land falls.
In a shift from a plan announced last year, when Park Service
contractors were slated to survey the area and then come up with
clean-up recommendations for a later time, the process set to begin
Monday will include both the identification of hot spots and the
remediation of toxins…..
As of November, six radium spots had been removed from the 223-acre
swath of the park that had once been landfill, with the primary
contaminant found to be Radium-226, a radionuclide formerly used in
medical treatment.
After that, even more potential hot spots were discovered, prompting
the National Park Service to rethink its more limited plan, and
instead include more sweeping investigations of the area, as well as
immediate elimination of the radiation.
The radiation-affected area — which comprises a large portion of the
488-acre park — has been closed to the public.
Meanwhile, environmentalists, avid users of the park, local residents
and lawmakers have demanded for years to know why the remediation
process has been so slow….
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/01/radiation_clean_up_to_start_in.html
Full radiation decontamination of Fukushima region an impossible task
Asahi: We are reminded anew of the huge scale of contamination released from Fukushima plant — Impossible to recover pre-disaster environment — Radiation levels not dropping in certain areas http://enenews.com/asahi-reminded-anew-huge-scale-contamination-released-fukushima-plant-impossible-recover-pre-disaster-environment-radiation-levels-dropping-areas
(Subscription Only) Title: EDITORIAL: More data needed to make decontamination work effective
Source: Asahi
Date: January 09, 2013
Decontamination work is in progress in areas affected by the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, but cases have been uncovered of workers dumping contaminated soil, vegetation and water into nearby rivers or other places without properly collecting them.
[…] One problem is that radiation levels are not dropping in certain areas. Another problem is that additional manpower is required, but hiring more workers isn’t financially viable.
Thinking about those problems, we are reminded anew of the huge scale of contamination caused by the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
It is impossible to recover the pre-disaster environment, and it is unrealistic to think that all affected areas can be decontaminated. […]
VIDEO Uranium mining in Virginia, and its risks for North Carolina
Hawood suggested the General Assembly write and pass a strongly-worded
resolution against uranium mining to try and influence Virginia’s
lawmakers in Richmond
VIDEO Uranium mining in Virginia would affect NC Rivers
http://myfox8.com/2013/01/10/uranium-mining-in-virginia-would-affect-nc-rivers/
January 10, 2013, by Mitch Carr EDEN, NC —
Virginia’s General Assembly is considering lifting a moratorium on
mining uranium that has been in place since 1982, and doing so could
have a dramatic effect on North Carolina’s recreational waterways.
The potential mine is on a farm near Gretna and Chatham in
Pittsylvania County, Virginia. The company attempting to mine the ore
that contains the uranium, Virginia Uranium, Inc., estimates the lode
to be 119 million pounds.
…….., many of the locals don’t support it, and an hour and a half
southwest of Chatham in Eden, NC, the Dan River Basin Association
definitely does not support it.
Tiffany Hawood is the executive director, and she agrees mining
uranium will bring jobs to the area.
“If you’re talking about jobs for cleaning up environmental risks,
then yeah, maybe,” Hawood said.
Hawood believes the mining puts the Dan and Smith Rivers, which run
through Rockingham County and are popular for tubing and canoeing, at
risk.
“I can’t think of one good reason to do this,” Hawood said.
North Carolina would experience the fallout of a mining disaster but
has no authority to stop Virginia from getting rid of the ban.
Hawood suggested the General Assembly write and pass a strongly-worded
resolution against uranium mining to try and influence Virginia’s
lawmakers in Richmond…. http://myfox8.com/2013/01/10/uranium-mining-in-virginia-would-affect-nc-rivers/
Coal mining’s radiation hazard should be recognised, too
The nuclear lobby is out to convince us that ionising radiation is not harmful .
This is a lie.
However, if we are seriously concerned about ionising radiation, we need to recognise that it is a serious threat from sources other than the nuclear industry, as well.
Two other serous sources of ionising radiation are medical radiation, and mining operations, especially coal.
There is an argument for medical radiation. Used judicially, medical radiation is beneficial in diagnosis, treatment, and pain relief in illness.
There really is no longer an argument for coal mining, given it’s role in global warming. But also, attention should be paid to the menace of ionising radiation in coal ash. – Christina Macpherson 7 Jan 13
EPA agrees to look into town’s radiation concerns SF Gate, January 6, 2013 TOWN OF PINES, Ind. (AP) — Federal environmental officials will investigate concerns about radiation levels in a northwestern Indiana community after residents and activists raised concern. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notified local officials late last month that the EPA would study the levels in The Pines early this year, The Times reported (http://bit.ly/UmBcgA ).
Matthew Ohl, the EPA’s project remedial manager, said NIPSCO, Brown, Inc., Ddalt Cop. and Bulk Transport Corp. proposed sampling in “certain residential yards in the Town of Pines.” The study was requested by a local environmental panel, which heard a presentation in November by Paul Kysel and Larry Jensen of PINES, or People in Need of Environmental Safety.
Jensen, a former EPA employee, conducted his own study of radiation levels and concluded that levels in the town are elevated. The PINES group believes coal ash, which was used as fill in roads, could be the cause of elevated radiation levels. The Pines is home to a landfill operated by Brown Inc. and holds about 1 million tons of fly ash created by NIPSCO’s burning of coal in its power plants. The facility was cited in 2000 by the EPA for contaminating drinkingwater …..http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/EPA-agrees-to-look-into-town-s-radiation-concerns-4170911.php#ixzz2HJy2xPxC
USA – look out for radioactive young bluefin tuna
Bluefin Tuna Off California Coast Tainted With Fukushima Radiation (But Scientists Say It’s Okay To 
Eat) laist.com, 5 Jan 13, Scientists ran tests on bluefin tuna off the coast of California and found traces of radiation from last year’s Fukushima nuclear meltdown.
Scientists examined the muscle tissue of 15 Bluefin tuna who were swimming off the shores of San Diego in August 2011 and were stunned to find traces of caesium-134, according to BBC News. That radioactive element can be directly tied to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster a few months earlier.
Scientists say these fish were likely spawned in Japanese waters and picked up the pollution before heading to feeding grounds in the eastern Pacific ocean. “It’s a lesson to us in how interconnected eco-regions can be, even when they may be separated by thousands of miles,” Nicholas Fisher, a professor of marine sciences at Stony Brook University told BBC News. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences….. tuna caught in coming months will be monitored for radiation levels, since younger fish might have spent more time in Japanese waters and received higher levels of contamination. http://laist.com/2013/01/05/bluefin_tuna_off_california_tainted.php
Radioactive fallout from Fukushima travelled in the atmosphere to USA
Gov’t Map: Fukushima fallout transported directly to U.S. — Canada, Mexico avoided much of contamination after 3/11 (VIDEO) http://enenews.com/map-fukushima-fallout-transported-directly-canada-mexico-avoided-contamination-video
January 3rd, 2013
Title: Measurement of Radioactive Fallout from the March 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Reactor Incident
Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in collaboration with the National Atmospheric Deposition Program
h/t Anonymous tip
Atmospheric back trajectories from sites where radioactive fallout was measured in NADP wet deposition samples. NOAA’s HYSPLIT model was used for this analysis
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collaborated with the National Atmospheric Deposition Program in an effort to monitor North American precipitation samples for the presence of nuclear fallout in response to the Japan Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station incident that occurred on March 11, 2011. […] Continue reading
Will USA’s EPA continue allow radioactive wastes to be injected into groundwater
The situation at Christensen Ranch underscores the overlaying problem of the sheer number of underground waste and injection wells. According to the UIC Well Inventory of 2011, there are 659,345 injection wells across the nation. Even in water-strapped states like California there exist a staggering 67,302 underground waste wells
former EPA officials are concerned of well leaks and that completely removing pollutants from water is not possible.
EPA Approved Underground Waste Dumping for Uranium Mine Giant IVN, By Christopher Davis-Garland | 01/04/2013 | ProPublica recently published journalist Abraham Lustgarten’s special project series covering injection wells. The latest story in the series converges on Christensen Ranch in Wyoming where industry giant Uranium One mines for uranium and disposes of its waste in an aquifer with EPA permission.
Toshiba’s plan to put nuclear reactor under permafrost in Alaska
Radio: New nuclear reactor to be buried 100 feet under permafrost in middle of Alaska? (AUDIO) http://enenews.com/radio-nuclear-reactor-be-buried-100-feet-permafrost-middle-alaska-audio
January 1st, 2013
Title: The New Normal Is No Normal
Source: Radio Ecoshock Show
Date: Jan 2, 2013
Toshiba is very interested in, it has been in talks with the mayor of Galena [Alaska] to build a, what they call a 4S Toshiba, it’s a liquid sodium reactor that they propose to bury under the permafrost — 100 feet under the permafrost, on the Yukon River floodplain.
So the last of the pristine rivers in the world, there’s been negotiations and machinations to put a liquid sodium reactor under the permafrost on the floodplain there in the middle of Alaska.
Full broadcast here
Turkey now testing all food from Japan for radiation
Report: Turkey begins testing all food from Japan for radiation — Imports suspected to be contaminated http://enenews.com/report-turkey-begins-testing-all-food-japan-radiation-imports-suspected-be-contaminated
January 2nd, 2013
Excerpt From: Turkey to test Japanese products for radiation
Source: World Bulletin
Date: December 30 2012
h/t Anonymous tip
Turkey to test Japanese products for radiation
The arrangement will go into effect on January 1, 2013 and will cover all Japanese products sent to Turkey after March 11, 2011. […]
Fukushima Diary summarizes a Japanese-language report on Turkey’s move:
[…] They state imports from Japan are suspected to be radioactively contaminated.
Radiation spread from Fukushima in Northern hemisphere
Almost entire ground-level of Northern Hemisphere covered in radioactive fission product after 3/11 (GRAPHIC) — Study: “The impact of Fukushima radioxenon releases on the worldwide Xe-133 background must be investigated” http://enenews.com/almost-entire-ground-level-northern-hemisphere-covered-radioactive-fission-product-after-311-study-impact-fukushima-radioxenon-releases-worldwide-xe-133-background-be-investigated-graphic
December 31st, 2012
Title: Analysis of Radionuclide Releases from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident Part II
Source: Pure and Applied Geophysics
Authors: Pascal Achim, Marguerite Monfort, Gilbert Le Petit, Philippe Gross, Guilhem Douysset, Thomas Taffary, Xavier Blanchard, Christophe Moulin
Date: September 2012
[…] In this study, the emissions of the three fission products Cs-137, I-131 and Xe-133 are investigated.
[…] worldwide industrial Xe-133 background could be modified by Fukushima radioxenon release affecting the performances of the CTBT radionuclide monitoring network.
[…] during the couple of months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident, monitoring capabilities of the network could have been affected by the large amount of radioxenon released by the accident. The impact of Fukushima radioxenon releases on the worldwide Xe-133 background must also be investigated. […]..
Measuring gamma radiation levels in Virginia
NNSA Helicopters Conduct Radiation Assessment in Northern Virginia
Several residents report hearing helicopters in the skies over the
area.
Annandale Patch, 31 Dec 12, By Jamie M. Rogers “…. The helicopters
began flying over the area Thursday, measuring naturally occurring
radiation, according to the group’s website.
The flights will continue until Jan. 11 during daylight hours
only….. Scientists with NNSA’s Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) out
of Joint Base Andrews will use remote gamma radiation-sensing
instrumentals to carry out the assessments.
Naturally-occurring radiation is measured so that baseline levels can
be established and used in security and emergency preparedness,
scientists said. …
http://annandale.patch.com/articles/nnsa-helicopters-conduct-radiation-assessment-in-northern-virginia
After Chernobyl nuclear disaster- “background” radiation estimated at double previous amount
Geneticist Valery N. Soyfer, founder of the former Soviet Union’s first molecular biology laboratory, analyzed the 1986 report to the IAEA, which has since been condemned as a cover-up. Dr. Soyfer says that if only 100 million curies were vented, then world “background radiation doubled at once.”[10] This claim was unsupported by accompanying evidence, butif “background” was doubled by 100 million curies, then it was multiplied 180 times by the release of Chernobyl’s “full inventory.”
Nineteen months after the disaster, in Nov. 1987, the U.S. government officially doubled its estimate of the “background” radiation to which we are exposed every year
Chernobyl at Ten: Half-lives and Half Truths, Chernobyl, by John M. LaForge “…… In the first part of this article (Spring 1996 Pathfinder) I compared the recent trivialization of Chernobyl’s consequences to news accounts that appeared soon after the explosions and fire. For example, while the commercial press now tell us that the disaster “spread radiation across parts of Europe,” the fact is that the federal EPA announced in mid-May 1986 that, “Airborne radioactivity from the Chernobyl nuclear accident is now so widespread that it is likely to fall to the ground wherever it rains in the United States.”[4]
In this part I look at how much radiation Chernobyl evidently added to the “background,” at official skewing of the inevitable long-term effects, and at recent reports of its human health consequences. Continue reading
1 This Month
Protect Sazan Island from the Trump family! https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/protect_sazan_island_from_the_trump_family_loc/?bqFCVab&v=174511&cl=22707147157&_checksum=5e9dde668860e8231c33699735e16a1fbf22ab2cb01da50c999fe8732b9775ef&utm_source=email&utm_medium=blast_email&utm_campaign=174511
Cuba Is Not a Failed State – It Is a Besieged State
PETITION: “Global Appeal to Endorse Palestinian Right of Return of Refugees”
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