Showing posts with label TEPCO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TEPCO. Show all posts

22/09/2011

Radioactive iodine spread much further south from Fukushima than originally believed.



A Japanese government survey published on Thursday the 22th of September, showed that radioactive iodine emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant spread not only northwestward but also to the south of the plant.

The ministry of science sampled soil at 2,200 locations, mostly in Fukushima Prefecture, but also as far south as Tokyo in June and July, and created another map indicating the extent of the radioactive contamination as of June 14th.
This map is giving information about radioactive contamination that where not previously published nor know by the public or even government workers.
Officials were able to obtain data for iodine 131 at only 400 locations, because of its short half-life of 8 days and because they waited to long to start collecting data on iodine 131.

The latest map shows that iodine 131 spread northwest of the plant, just like cesium 137 as indicated on an earlier map. But the substance was also confirmed south of the plant at relatively high levels.
The researchers found that accumulation levels of iodine 131 were higher than those of cesium 137 in coastal areas south of the plant.

Officials of the ministry said the clouds that moved southward over the plant apparently caught large amounts of iodine 131 that were emitted at the time.

Iodine 131 could cause thyroid cancer through internal exposure. The ministry is therefore trying to determine at what levels the substance spread immediately after the accident at the plant in March. 
Six month after the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima dai ichi plant it is starting to become clear that high level of radioactive Cesium 137 as well as radioactive iodine 131 have contaminated large areas of the prefecture of Fukushima and reached as far North as Hokkaido and as far south as Tokyo prefectures leaving hot spots with well over the maximum permissible safety limits of radioactive elements. Contaminating soil, lac's, rivers and the ocean to a far greater extend than previously believed. 
Still, many areas in the 300 km radius from the Fukushima plant have not been sampled to this day nor has any form of assessment taken place. In stead people are being told that all is fine and that they should not worry. Why so many are taking things into their own hands, trying to assess the amount of radiation their area or town received.
This in some cases could lead to false data and needless fear mongering. Why it is of the outmost importance that all areas be tested and that an accurate map be made public so that the public can make an educated and objective assessment of their own and decide on the actions they want to have implement.

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09/07/2011

Japan, Is the unsinkable Titanic sinking?

By, Uwe Paschen.
Since the triple disaster that hit Japan on March the eleventh 2011, the country has been thrown into limbo. No longer knowing which way to go.
Even though this state of paralysis especially in our political affairs is nothing new, it has reached its extreme now in manner of speaking.
Since WWII and especially since the recession that hit Japan in the 1980th the countries sociology has been  one of resignation even self defeat. In part maybe because Japan has not yet digested the shock of the foreign invasion in 1945 which was the first time in over a millennia that any one managed to invade the Japanese main Islands. Still this can not explain today's mind set that causes the countries politics, businesses and people alike to be unable to break free from this down ward spiral in which all seem to be engaged.
It is almost as if an entire nation has put its heads into the sand becoming paralysed of sorts and unable physically has well as sociologically to face reality and adjust allowing them to the facts at hand.
Subsequently making the decisions needed to readjust the course of this massive ship called Japan. Many hopped that after this catastrophic disaster that cost so many lives and caused such great damages, the countries institutions, politicians and businesses would finally wake up and allow the country to cease those devastating events and turn them into opportunities for a rebirth of this nation through a massive change of course all the way embracing a green revolution of sorts.
Wile many people took to the streets over the past three month and demanded such changes, which in it self is some thing rather remarkable for this country since people in general are rather quiet when it comes to politics and other such matter. Yet, we saw great demonstration and many stood up demanding radical changes.
However, nothing happened still. In stead politicians are still turning in circles causing a downward spiral of sorts. It is pathetic, frustrating and even infuriating to witness. Nevertheless, Japanese remain mostly quiet and take their fate with resignation almost.
The hopes are now fading and the people are going back to bury their heads into the sand. Hoping for a rebirth in another life time perhaps.
The real victims here are the upcoming generations that will inherit their parents and grandparents mismanagement of the country as well as that of the environment. Now is the time to make the needed changes and failing to do so will cause a much greater disaster down the road whose price tag and impact could not possibly be handled nor absorbed by any one.
"It is far better to have an end with great suffering than a great suffering with out end." Japan needs to suffer now and change course or it wont be able to live even less survive down the road. We need to exit nuclear power and all other fossil fuels now, and we need to implement renewable energy sources along with fair social policies and a restructuring of the work force to move that one from an outdate mind set to an innovative one.
Japan is well positioned to successfully achieve this transition, since it has the technology, the know how, the skilled labour force, the resources and nature it self at its disposition. From volcanoes to hot springs and to the sea, this country is field with untapped energy sources, allowing it to not only become energy self sufficient. Moreover, Japan has the potential to export energy produced from renewable sources to China, Russia and others has well, in form of electricity or Hydrogen fuel.
Will we do it though? We may need a green revolution to achieve it. For the mighty Oil and nuclear industries do not want to give up their monopolies readily. It will have to be pried away from them. In part because the main industries are scared of nothing more then the decentralisation of energy, since who ever holds the control over that energy, also has the power over the big players such as Monsanto, Toyota and others. They would have to deal with the masses now rather then with some monopolies in wish they have friends and relative. The people producing and selling renewable clean energy would also gain control over the big corporations that need the power to produce and sale their goods.
The people need to wake up and take control over their future and that of there descendants.  The time to change is now, for this may very well be our last chance to do so.