Treated radioactive water will start being discharged into the Pacific Ocean as soon as Thursday, amid fierce opposition from neighbors and Japan’s fishing industry.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that the release of more than 1 million metric tons of wastewater — equivalent to more than 500 Olympic-size swimming pools — will take place in a safe manner.
“Instead of engaging in an honest debate about this reality, the Japanese government has opted for a false solution — decades of deliberate radioactive pollution of the marine environment — during a time when the world’s oceans are already facing immense stress and pressures,” said Shaun Burnie, senior nuclear specialist at Greenpeace East Asia.
“If the actual discharge deviates from the plan, even just a little bit, we will deem it a threat to the safety and health of our people, and immediately ask Japan to stop,” said Park Gu-yeon, vice minister of government policy coordination.
But opposition politicians have raised concerns that South Korean waters may be affected by the release, accusing President Yoon Suk Yeol of overlooking the health risks to mend diplomatic ties with Tokyo.
“The Yoon Suk Yeol administration is turning a blind eye to Japan’s dumping of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea,” said Kang Sun-woo, a spokeswoman for the main opposition Democratic Party.
In Tokyo, about 230 people gathered in front of the prime minister’s office Tuesday to protest the plan, holding signs and chanting slogans such as “Listen to the fishermen” and “The release will impact future generations.”
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On October 30, 1924, Midgley participated in a press conference to demonstrate the apparent safety of TEL, in which he poured TEL over his hands, placed a bottle of the chemical under his nose, and inhaled its vapor for 60 seconds, declaring that he could do this every day without succumbing to any problems.[7][13] However, the State of New Jersey ordered the Bayway plant to be closed a few days later, and Jersey Standard was forbidden to manufacture TEL again without state permission. Production was restarted in 1926 after intervention by the federal government. High-octane fuel, enabled by lead, was important to the military. Midgley later took a leave of absence from work after being diagnosed with lead poisoning.[14]
Not saying the Fukushima discharge is not safe (the radiation level is very low and the dilution factor of 500 swimming pools worth vs the whole ocean is huge), just that some folks will risk self-injury for profits.