- Japan’s nuke watchdog ponders higher emergency exposure limits for nuclear workers. Currently, the limit is 100 millisieverts per year. During the height of the 2011 Fukushima accident, Tokyo temporarily raised this to 250 mSv/yr. The Nuclear Regulation Authority is now considering a standard of 250 mSv, which will conform to limits set by other countries. In addition, the NRA says individual workers should give informed consent before being exposed to more than 100 mSv in a year. Along with the possible increase, nuke companies will have to educate and train workers in radiation protection before allowing them to be exposed. NRA Chairman Shunichi Tanaka says it’s appropriate to set the limit to 250 millisieverts because it was briefly used during the accident without any health consequences, and it would be comparable to medium exposure levels set by countries overseas. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html (By comparison, the US EPA has the following annual limits for emergency workers… 5 rem (50 mSv) for all occupational exposures, 10 rem (100 mSv) for “Protecting valuable property necessary for public welfare (e.g., a power plant)”, and 25 rem (250 mSv) for “Lifesaving or protection of large populations”. http://www.remm.nlm.gov/pag.htm#worker )
- Japan’s largest newspaper calls for a realistic debate on nuclear energy. The Yomiuri Shimbun says many of Japan’s minority (opposition) parties are calling for the immediate abolition of nuclear energy, no matter what the cost. The Democratic Party of Japan, in power until December 2013, said “every possible resource” should be employed to reduce nuclear energy needs to zero. The Japanese Communist Party calls for an “immediate reduction of nuclear power generation to zero”, while the Social Democratic Party insists that currently-idled nukes should never be restarted and all new construction be stopped. However, realistic plans on how this will be accomplished without placing Japan’s energy needs in critical jeopardy while reducing Japan’s deeply-negative balance of trade are never presented. The Yomiuri says, “Insisting on cutting nuclear power generation to zero without coming up with specific measures to find alternative power sources should be deplored as extremely irresponsible.” The newspaper adds, “Should nuclear energy be phased out in a haphazard manner, technology developed over the years could be lost. This could affect the technology needed to resolve the aftermath of the crisis at the Fukushima plant, the decommissioning of the reactors and the final disposal of radioactive waste.” Tokyo’s hasty decision to promote renewables and guarantee their profitability has placed Japan’s distribution system at risk. The Yomiuri says, “Depending excessively on certain types of power sources is considered too risky from the viewpoint of energy security.” http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001774736
- A study on Fukushima children shows no detectible internal concentrations of radioactive Cesium. Whole body measurements of students attending 22 schools in Minamisoma City were administered between May and July, 2013. Of the 3,299 tested students, 3,255 were screened during school health check-ups. None had detectable levels of Cs-134 or Cs-137. Maximum estimated exposures indicate that none of the children will ever exceed the national goal of one millisievert per year. The report, Absence of Internal Radiation Contamination by Radioactive Cesium among Children Affected by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Disaster (Tsubokura, et.al.) has been posted in the Health Physics Journal. Since the report itself is behind a pay wall, we are providing a link to a surprisingly objective article on it in the Daily Kos. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/12/02/1348947/-Studying-Radioactive-Cesium-Contamination-of-Children-Affected-by-the-Fukushima-Disaster#
- Believe it or not, canned Fukushima air is being successfully sold by a Tokyo teenager. He says he’s doing it to shock the public into reviving the debate over the 2011 accident. The 17-year-old high school student, mono-named Atsu, said, “I want to try to surprise people and renew interest in the nuclear accident.” Last summer, he went to the Fukushima Prefecture’s coast to inject its air into the cans. Upon return, he began selling it. He recalls thinking, “I’m sure it’ll attract both support and criticism and spur debate. And debate will generate interest.” Atsu says his sales have sparked a bit of negativity. Some say he is just seeking publicity for his budding art business, while others say Fukushima evacuees no longer need assistance. On the other hand, many people in Fukushima Prefecture express support. Atsu says, “I thought there would be more criticism.” The air in the cans has been analyzed and generates between 0.05 and 0.09 microsieverts per hour, well below the national goal of 0.23 µSv/hr. The cans sell for about $5 each (600 yen). All procedes are donated to the Japanese Red Cross. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201412090007
- An F. Daiichi worker claims that he and his co-workers have been forgotten by Tokyo. The man claims that they experience harsh working conditions, are not paid enough, and worry about their radiation exposure. As a third-tier contract employee, the man receives about $1,800 per month in pay and defines his working conditions as “harsh” because he must wear protective clothing and dosimetry. He adds that his most recent radiation exposure was 1.8 mSv and he is nearing his annual 20 mSv limit. He complains, “I feel that people are gradually forgetting about the nuclear accident. From now, our work will become even harsher because we will have to go inside the reactor buildings, where the radiation level is even higher. I want people to recognize that there are such workplaces.” http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/12/10/national/fukushima-forgotten-1-plant-workers-feel-voters-dont-realize-ordeal/#.VIhIE6N0wdU
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