Neighboring countries are not happy with this decision, but the decision has been made and the plan will come into effect this week.
Futurism writes that, despite strong opposition from neighboring countries, Japan plans to start dumping polluted water from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster into the Pacific Ocean as early as this week.
The researchers state that there was enough water at the crash site to fill 500 Olympic swimming pools. This prompted local authorities to develop safe disposal methods. The result was a 30-year plan in which radioactive water would be slowly filtered and diluted and then sent to the ocean.
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Researchers and the Japanese government hope this will help minimize harmful substances and their impact on the environment. However, not all neighboring countries and even residents of Japan are satisfied with this plan. For example, local fishermen claim that the resulting radiation could harm ocean ecosystems, despite experts insisting that the plan is safe. Nearby countries are not happy either, for example China reacted angrily to the announcement of the start of water recycling.
According to Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the ocean has supported humanity for thousands of years and is certainly not a sewer for our waste. That’s why China believes it’s not worth polluting its waters with nuclear waste – supposedly this will affect the long-term health of ecosystems. In addition, South Korea has already banned the import of seafood caught near the waters surrounding the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
It should be noted that the International Atomic Energy Agency, which oversees the UN’s nuclear security, approved these plans last week. The experts concluded that the slow release of water into the ocean would have “insignificant radiological effects on humans and the environment.”
At the same time, the researchers note that this procedure is not completely safe. The scientists note that traces of radioactive isotopes, including tritium and carbon-14, may still be present in the water as they are extremely difficult to remove. At the same time, other plants are already releasing wastewater with higher tritium content, according to the researchers.
According to Jim Smith, professor of environmental sciences at the University of Portsmouth, radiation doses will be negligible as long as the Fukushima water evacuation is carried out according to plan. In fact, they are a thousand times less than the annual doses that every person on Earth receives from natural radiation.
Previously Focus He wrote that scientists say whether it is possible to eat food grown near Fukushima.
Source: Focus
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.