June 25, 2015

Jun 25, 2015 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • There is no Fukushima Cesium in Steelhead trout or Sockeye salmon caught off British Columbia. InFORM (Integrated Fukushima Ocean Radionuclide Monitoring) reports,” None of the fish from 2014 were found to contain detectable levels of Cesium-134. What this means is that radioactivity from Fukushima cannot be detected in fish caught in BC waters as of August 2014… Samples (99 total) of sockeye salmon and steelhead returning BC streams and rivers were collected and analyzed and none were found to contain detectable levels of Fukushima derived radionuclides.” Cs-134 is the marker isotope that provides unmistakable evidence as to whether or not Fukushima radioactivity is present. “We also measured naturally occurring radioisotopes Potassium-40 (40K) and Polonium-210 (210Po) that always contribute doses of radiation to human consumers of marine fish… Neither the exposure to artificial (weapon’s test residuals) or natural radionuclides represent a dangerous health risk to consumers in Canada.” http://fukushimainform.ca/2015/06/22/update-monitoring-results-for-sockeye-salmon-and-steelhead-trout-collected-summer-2014/#more-1282
  • Tokyo eases restrictions on farming and businesses in Fukushima no-go zone. Agricultural activities will be resumed in residence-restricted zones in the hope of restarting full-fledged shipments. Until now, farming in areas with exposure estimates between 20 and 50 millisieverts per year has been banned “in principle” by the government. Farmers will be allowed shipments of rice, vegetables and other produce that clear limits set under the Food Sanitation Act. Fukushima Prefecture says there are over 3,000 hectares of farmland in residence-restricted areas. In addition, businesses deemed essential to resume and/or rebuild essential infrastructure may restart in locations where outdoor radiation levels are less than 3.8 microsieverts per hour. This would be approximately 20 mSv/yr if someone spent 24 hours per day outdors for 365 days. Further, businesses in zones with exposure estimates greater than 50 mSv/yr can reopen if they are deemed necessary to support infrastructure in locations where restriction are lifted. Details on the government decision will be shared with interested parties by local governments. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=526
  • The new JAIF president says a Japanese nuclear renaissance is coming. Akio Takahashi (63), former senior official of Tepco, is the new president of Japan Atomic Industrial Forum. Former JAIF President Takuya Hattori (71) retired after nine years of leading the organization. In Takahashi’s statement following his ascension to JAIF presidency, he said, “I realize the issues lying before us: the swift restoration of Fukushima, the securing of nuclear safety, the regaining of public trust and the promotion of public understanding. I hope to reinforce the activities of JAIF as Japan’s nuclear industry moves toward a renaissance.” http://www.jaif.or.jp/en/akio-takahashi-named-new-jaif-president/
  • Meanwhile, Japanese utility shareholders reject all antinuclear proposals. All nine utilities with nukes held their annual shareholder meetings. At the meetings, minority antinuclear stockholders filed tenders to keep idled nukes shut down permanently. In each case, the proposals were summarily rejected by the body of stakeholders. For example, the Tepco meeting drew more than 2,000 attendees, but antinuclear proposals came from only 15. Regardless, the complaints from the greatly-outnumbered antinuclear contingents were given foremost Press coverage. Former Futaba Mayor Katsuaka Igodawa continued his antinuclear crusade at the Tepco meeting, saying that abandoning nukes is “the only way for the company to survive”. He compared the lives of the Futaba evacuees to living in hell. Futaba is banned from habitation by government mandate. In another instance, a few Kyushu Electric Co. stockholders called for the firing of the company’s president because the company is going to restart two Sendai units later this summer. The motion was voted down. http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150625p2g00m0bu066000c.html — http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2015062500684
  • High level waste (HLW) NIMBY is spreading in Japan. Tokyo’s Agency for Natural resources and Energy (ANRE) has been holding meetings across Japan to explain the process for HLW repository site selection. At the meetings, ANRE representatives explain the government’s policy to propose “scientifically-promising sites,” with the participating municipalities, then ask questions about specific schedules in order to hold future meetings. However, fears of public backlash resulted in poor attendance by many local officials. At some meetings, half of the prefectures did not attended. Their main reason for non-appearance is that vocal members of the public want no part of the safe handling of nuclear waste, including low level materials, so the officials stayed away out of fear that attendance will be construed as agreeing to have the repository in their prefecture. A few dissident prefectures say they haven’t attended because the meetings are behind closed doors, shutting out public participation. http://www.jaif.or.jp/en/meetings-on-final-hlw-disposal-held-behind-closed-doors-with-many-municipalities-not-attending/
  • Japan asks China to ease food import restrictions. A director-general of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries made the request in Beijing. China has banned food imports from 10 Japanese prefectures since the nuke accident in 2011. The sale of all Japanese food products has dropped sharply in China since the import ban went into effect. However, it is believed that demand remains strong for the restricted products. Future meetings between the two countries are expected in the future. http://fukushimaupdate.com/japan-asks-china-to-ease-food-import-restrictions-introduced-after-fukushima/
  • Fukushima university students will aid elderly evacuees. They will live in the same Fukushima City housing as some of the evacuees and give them help that is needed. Two students at a time will live in the Iizaka district complex for three months, followed by two others for the succeeding months, and so on. The cycle will continue for a year, thus involving eight students. The project was suggested by the Fukushima University Disaster Volunteer Center, which has promoted visits to temporary homes for elderly evacuees. It was adopted by the Reconstruction Agency as a state-subsidized “mental reconstruction” project. http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2015062200680
  • Tokyo looks into possible voluntary evacuee situations following the 2017 end of free housing. The government has told prefectural governments to include voluntary evacuees in the routine “draw” policy for acceptance in public housing after the free rent period ends. After the 2011 accident, voluntary evacuees were provided rent compensation by Tokyo and were not included in public “draws”. That will end in March, 2017. The Reconstruction Agency says their basic policy has always been for voluntaries to return to Fukushima. When included in the draws, there is no guarantee that they will be selected for cheap public housing. They will be treated the same as any other low-income Japanese citizen. In addition, some municipalities have passed ordinances placing severe restrictions on voluntary evacuees applying for inclusion in local housing draws. The Agency says 40 prefectures and city governments are accepting applications, but only about 50 have been issued. On the other hand, a Land Ministry official said, “We cannot treat voluntary evacuees the same as forced evacuees, who are allowed entrance into public housing without entering draws. In the end, the methods taken are the decision of municipal governments.” One dissenting Tokyo official criticized the policy saying it was established without addressing the desires of the voluntary evacuees. http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150624p2a00m0na009000c.html
  • Japan’s nuke watchdog will revise emergency medical preparedness for the public. In the past, hospitals near nuclear stations have been given help by the government to treat small numbers of emergency workers. However, the 2011 Fukushima accident revealed that large numbers of the public needing medical care, and also exposed to airborne contamination, overwhelmed the local medical facilities. On Wednesday, the NRA released a draft of new guidelines intended to create a network of medical facilities within the 30 kilometer emergency planning zones, designation 1-3 hospitals as base facilities in each. The hospitals are to have teams of experts to treat patients after accidents, and be available go to other prefectures where an accident might occur. The designated facilities will check evacuees for exposure to contamination, then treat the injured and sick accordingly. A 30-day public comment period began on Wednesday, after which the NRA will pursue making formal regulations. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150624_24.html
  • Hamaoka unit #3 restart screening begins. It is possible that one of the two Hamaoka units under consideration will be the first BWR in Japan to restart. The Nuclear Regulation Authority says they will prioritize the screening of unit #4, indicating that they want unit #4 restarted first of the two. Chubu Electric Co. is in the midst of a nearly $3 billion safety upgrade in order to meet the post-Fukushima regulations. It is felt that the screening process will be long and drawn-out. One reason is the station’s proximity to the Tokai fault line, running several kilometers distant. The fault line is rated at 8.4 Richter scale-capable, based on geologic evidence. Secondly, the governor of Shizuoka Prefecture, Heita Kawakatsu, is wary of agreeing to restarts. He is leaning toward having the issue decided by referendum. Hamaoka station was asked to shut down in May, 2011, by then-PM Naoto Kan. Kan feared a Tokai quake would cause another Fukushima-like accident. The station is the nuke nearest the Tokyo metropolis, and Kan feared he would have to face evacuation of more than 10 million people. http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150623p2g00m0dm115000c.html (Comment – The Japanese Press says Hamaoka sits at the “epicenter” of the Tokai fault. A quick map check shows the station is more than 5 kilometers from the fault line. Second, it is impossible to determine where the epicenter of a future quake will be. The last two quakes in 1854 and 1707 had epicenters more than 100 kilometers from Hamaoka station. In addition, there is no mention in the Press that a worst-case tsunami of 20 meters has been used as the post-Fukushima model. A massive anti-tsunami wall has been built to a height of 21 meters. Plus, the 9.0 Richter scale quake at F. Daiichi did absolutely nothing to the nuclear operating and emergency cooling systems. I guess these facts are not as “newsworthy” as stretching the truth with the false idea that Hamaoka sits on the epicenter of a future quake.)