Radioactivity is persisting in the ocean waters close to Japan's ruined nuclear power plant at Fukushima Daiichi

Radioactivity is persisting in the ocean waters close to Japan's ruined nuclear power plant at Fukushima Daiichi. New data presented at a conference held on 12–13 November at the University of Tokyo show that levels of radioactivity in the sea around the plant remain stable, rather than falling as expected. Researchers believe that run-off from rivers, as well as continued leaks from the plant, may be partially to blame. But contaminated sediment and marine organisms also seem to be involved...

...The Fukushima disaster caused by far the largest discharge of radioactivity into the ocean ever seen. A new model presented by scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts estimates that 16.2 petabecquerels (10¹⁵ becquerels) of radioactive caesium leaked from the plant — roughly the same amount that went into the atmosphere. Nature

Tepco neglected safety upgrades at Fukushima Daiichi to avoid controversy

The New York Times has reported that the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has admitted it neglected to make needed safety upgrades at its now-destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, in order to avoid anti-nuclear protests, lawsuits, and calls for shutting down the reactors.

The article reports:

In the report, Tepco said that before the accident it had been afraid to consider the risk of such a large tsunami, fearing admissions of risk could result in public pressure to shut plants down.

“There were concerns that if new countermeasures against severe accidents were installed, concern would spread in host communities that the current plants had safety problems,” the report said.

The article also reports that Tepco's own engineers had warned about tsunami risks even worse than those that hit Fukushima Daiichi on March 11, 2011.

CNN also reported on this story.

Nuclear Regulation Authority director says no more reactor restarts till 2013

As reported by The Japan Daily Press, Shunichi Tanaka, the chair of Japan’s newly formed Nuclear Regulation Authority, has said that no further atomic reactor restarts will be allowed in Japan until mandatory safety and security regulations are finalized in mid 2013. Tanaka is also ordering seismic studies at Oi, where two atomic reactors were allowed to restart in June 2012 after a hasty rubberstamped approval by NISA (Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency) shortly before the discredited agency was dissolved.

SOUTEIGAI: BEYOND IMAGINATION

Image: A poster celebrating the nuclear power plant workers who knowingly exposed themselves to radiation to try to bring the catastrophe under control (Jonathan Aubry; Flickr.com/ CC BY-NC 2.0)'Souteigai' or 'beyond imagination', said the Japanese government spokesman when the tsunami waves rolled across a 300-kilometre-long strip of coastline. 'Souteigai' was also the word used in self-justification by nuclear plant owner TEPCO in reference to the meltdown at Fukushima. And 'Souteigai' was the thought on people's minds as they were forced to watch the black water rolling over houses and people and flattening everything – and on the minds of the 80,000 evacuees who lost their homes because of Fukushima.

The English language version of this radio documentary is posted at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Japan's nuclear emergency zone study shows worldwide deficiencies

SimplyInfo has reported that from Japan to the U.S. and Germany, nuclear evacuation zones are inadequate to deal with real world risks shown by what happened -- and is still happening -- at and around the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, even out to great distances. The article reported:

The US plans show an evacuation zone of about 10 miles (16km), half of what Japan has now moved to. The US has also quietly instituted changes in late 2011 to scale back evacuation plans based on some pre-Fukushima calculations now proven by Fukushima to be unrealistic. The NRC revisions to evacuation zones include a number of ideas we know to be not accurate:

—Accidents will develop more slowly than thought. 

Fukushima was drastically faster than the NRC assumes. 15 hours, not multiple days.

—Buildings designed to contain radiation leaks will hold.

Fukushima proved this is not the case as 4 of the reactors failed and now leak radiation in considerable amounts over a year and a half after the disaster.

—Emergency plans will work.

Fukushima left local government lost with no information to act with, prefecture and national government was in chaos and did not make needed information such as radiation and plume data public so people could react appropriately. There were not enough resources to get people out, evacuate hospitals or distribute protective iodine.

—Responders will do their jobs.

In Fukushima private fire department staff refused to be deployed, Tokyo Fire Department insisted on detailed information before they would agree to risk firefighters' safety and even the SDF fled the area multiple times as those on the ground determined conditions to be too dangerous to stay at that time.

—Ninety percent of those told to stay put will obey.

Many in Fukushima fled of their own motivation if they were able to obtain enough information and had the ability. Expecting 90% of people within 10 miles of a nuclear disaster to stay put defies human nature and common sense. Those with the ability will try to leave if they can. Sheltering in place also poses considerable risks beyond radiation exposure. The practice requires sealing up a house and turning off any air conditioning or forced air heating. In certain parts of the US and around the world this could quickly prove deadly during certain times of the year due to extreme temperatures. The NRC and other safety authorities around the world ignore this risk.