– Japan Officials: Nuclear “event” at Fukushima from radioactive release into ocean? -AP (ENENews, Sep 16, 2013):
Associated Press, Sept. 16, 2013: […] As a preventive step, workers […] were pumping away rainwater that was pooling around hundreds of storage tanks containing radioactive water. [Tepco] said the rainwater was being released to the ocean and was believed to be untainted. Tepco said it was pumping away the water to reduce the risk of flooding and potential tank leaks mixing with rainwater, then seeping into the soil or flowing into the sea. The government’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, however, said the pumping and release of the rainwater into the ocean was possibly ‘‘an event’’ subject to reporting under nuclear safety rules. Tepco said the radioactivity in the released water was within allowed discharge limits, but duty regulators at the plant were checking. […]
International Science Times, Sept. 16, 2013: […] working around the clock to avoid the risk of tank leaks […] workers pump accumulating rain water that has been pooling around hundreds of storage tanks that contain radioactive water. Should the tanks puncture, radioactive water will mix with rainwater and seep into the soil or flow into the sea. […]
See also:
– TEPCO Releases Typhoon Water Into Ocean, Says It Was ‘Safe’:
In areas where water samples were highly toxic, however, Tepco took a different approach and transferred it elsewhere through makeshift pumps. One of those areas contained rainwater that was emitting 170,000 becquerels per liter, far higher than allowed.
To:
Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan
Toshimitsu Motegi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry
Shunichi Tanaka, Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA)
Urgent international petition calling for immediate action on the uncontrolled radioactive discharges at Tepco’s Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
his is clearly not an appropriate time for Japan to restart nuclear plants or export nuclear technology
The ocean, the source of life, must not be contaminated further
We hereby petition the Japanese national government and related entities to undertake the following commitments.
Clarify the Japanese government’s responsibility concerning the radioactive discharges into the ocean. Concentrate fully on dealing with this issue, and suspend all activity aimed at restarting nuclear plants in Japan and exporting nuclear power reactors to other countries. Japan’s new post-Fukushima regulatory standards do not take into account the possibility of uncontrolled radioactive releases into the ocean. Processing applications to restart nuclear plants in Japan under these conditions can result in additional uncontrolled releases and must be suspended.
Implement maximum efforts to prevent further contamination of the ocean. Install tanks for the storage of the contaminated water that are more robust and sustainable in order to prevent leakage. Deliberate discharge of the contents of the radioactive water in tanks into the ocean absolutely must not be permitted.
Bring together the combined wisdom of independent experts with no vested interests from within Japan and internationally (i.e. domestic and international independent expertise) and ensure its practical implementation.
Ensure transparency. Make all government meetings concerning this issue public, including the meetings of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s Radioactive Contamination Discharges Countermeasures Committee. Immediately hold a public assessment of the proposed ice wall strategy.
Retract Prime Minister Abe’s following statements made at the International Olympic Commission (IOC): “The situation is under control.” “The effects of the [radioactive] discharges are completely blocked within the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant’s harbor.”
https://fs220.xbit.jp/n362/form2/