Yes, like in Hiroshima. It will never be inhabitable.
Posted on 03/21/2011 2:07:54 AM PDT by Kartographer
Japan gets more electrical power from coal than nuclear or any other source. (just barely more than nuclear)
http://iea.org/stats/electricitydata.asp?COUNTRY_CODE=JP
Cheers
“It seems like there will be an uninhabitable circle 100 miles in diameter around those plants. “
Sort of like Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Oh wait, those cities have been rebuilt. Or perhaps like the hundred miles around the much more serious Chernobyl. Oh wait . . .
Yup, just like at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
USing the ‘evacuation’ area as a predictor for uninhabitable area is either fear mongering or a woeful lack of knowledge of what is going on.
The area around Chernobyl was less than 20 miles when all was said and done.
The reason they are evacuating such a large area is to make sure nobody is exposed to large amounts of airborne contaminents until the situation is under control. These contaminants (I-131, C-137 for the most part) are all very short half-life particles that will be complately cleansed by natural functions within hours/days/weeks.
At that point the ‘evacuated’ areas will be completely safe. They will probably be safe, but slightly to mederately above ‘background’ radiation levels much quicker than the full half-life period.
The only unihabitable zone will be where the larger Uranium or Plutonioum particles, etc fall — and right now those are all being contained within the plant itself.
The one worrisome issue is ground water contamination, and even that is relatively minor when compared to Chrnobyl and should be confined to the immediate area of the plant.
These chicken littles are really getting me down.
These chicken littles are really getting me down.
I've already admitted ignorance and in those exact words, I'm not sure what else you want me to do. I come here to learn, and I'm learning from you all. I'm certainly not fear mongering.
All I ask is that you actually read *all* of what I post, not just what suits your kneejerk of the moment, OK?
Should and “actually do” are not often the same for me.
Cheers.
But what fun would that be???? ;-)
Good point. :0)
:0)
The Americans and the British told their people to evacuate up to 50 miles away. It is other countries leaders that have shown a greater worry in public than the Japanese.
Which is rather unprecedented in crisis situations. It has made for some rather strange international politics if you watch that sort of thing. Things are happening behind the scenes that I would love to know more about...do the EU countries and the Americans know more about how dangerous the situation is or is it just nuclear politics at play.
I think that TVA Kingston spilling 1.5 tons of uranium as part of 1.1 billion gallons of coal ash slurry into nearby rivers and inundating 300 acres would count as a "plant failure."
Nineteen miles may be the "official" exclusion zone, but ask yourself - "Did the Soviets really care about the people?". Plus weather patterns have to be considered. That area of the Ukraine has much higher than normal cancer rates. I don't know if the birth defects have been measured.
And my "kneejerk" as you so maturely noted, comes in response to all the overreacting chicken little FReepers, many of whom seem to be caught up in the "who can make the biggest claim of disaster" regarding this effort. Much like the gulf and the oil spill. The 100 miles fear was just one more overreaction that needed to be pointed out.
Sorry for piling on after you admitted ignorance.
I do understand and I almost ignored the whole thing, but at the last minute I decided to respond. It's no big deal and forgotten already. :0)
One of the interesting things about the exclusion zone is the wildlife sanctuary it has become. Flora and Fauna are flourishing in the area. However, there is some debate over the diversity of the animals that increasing in population.
Despite Mutations, Chernobyl Wildlife Is Thriving
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/04/0426_060426_chernobyl_2.html
Wildlife Thrive in Chernobyl's No-Go Zone
http://animal.discovery.com/news/afp/20060417/chernobyl.html
Wildlife thrives at Chernobyl
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthpicturegalleries/4944501/Wildlife-thrives-at-Chernobyl.html
Yes, like in Hiroshima. It will never be inhabitable.
The people who lived near Chernobyl have probably been the most closely studied group of medical patients in the history of the world.
The 2006 WHO report estimated that out of the 135,000 people evacuated from the 30cm exclusion zone, there would be about 150 excess cancer deaths over the 21,500 cancer deaths that would normally be expected in a population that size.
We are talking 3 reactors and even more containment pools that are causing enough radiation worries to cause the workers to run away at times due to enough radiation to kill(from crying Japanese plant official).
When does the common sense come in to play from the cheerleaders and the sky is falling crowd.
There is not enough information yet for either side and that is on purpose. BUT...if you are not smart enough to see world leaders out of the box panic(at times) or see the desperate measures and the pulling away of all workers at times or plant leader crying and admitting the high radiation levels enough to kill...then the bs all is sunny and worry is for the stupid just looks as bizarre and even less realistic than the sky is falling crowd...at least they have things to point to even if not fully understood.
Until we are given a full accounting in a look back on the situation we will not know how horrible or totally under control this situation has really been. All we can do is watch what is being done and pulling workers back due to radiation means to the untrained eye all is not peachy.
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