Fukushima warning: danger level at nuclear plant jumps to 'serious'

Guardian ^

[chessplayer]

The new warning, expected on Wednesday, comes only a day after the nuclear watchdog assigned a much lower ranking when the plant's operator, Tepco, admitted about 300 tonnes of highly toxic water had leaked from a storage tank at the site.

[chessplayer]

"Wrecked Fukushima storage tank leaking highly radioactive water"

"The storage tank breach of about 300 metric tons of water is separate from contaminated water leaks reported in recent weeks, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co said on Tuesday."

"The latest leak is so contaminated that a person standing half a meter (1 ft 8 inches) away would, within an hour, receive a radiation dose five times the average annual global limit for nuclear workers."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/20/us-japan-fukushima-leak-idUSBRE97J02920130820

Things are probably far, far worse than Tepco and the Japanese govt have been saying. They've been lying their asses off about this from the start.

[Red Badger]

But is it ‘hugh’?...........

[rktman]

What was the threat level rating before? “Some concern”. And what will be the next level? “Run for the hills”.

[maine-iac7]

It has been “serious” since day one...but covered up - and the world, which should have jumped in to help from day one, still sits quietly on the sidelines - why?

Because the problem is so unprecedented and cataclysmic that they haven't a clue what to do?

or - They see this could be - should be? - the death knell for nuclear power, their cash cow - which has the power for such destruction...destruction that can last for thousands of years - destruction of the Pacific, which takes up 1/3rd of the world?

Or both?

Is there any way to close the lid on this Pandora's Box?

[donmeaker]

The amount of radiation a nuclear worker is permitted is roughly equivalent to the amount of exposure you would get from eating one extra banana in a year.

Bananas are rich in potassium-40, a radioactive element. If you eat it, you get exposed to it. Brazil nuts are rich in Radium. Carbon 14 is radioactive, and you get some with every vegetable you eat.

Certainly nuclear workers should have low exposure limits, and they do. I don’t think it is a service to compare exposure to these very low limits.

I will still eat bananas, brazil nuts, and vegetables.

[rktman]

Maybe just put out a change that it’s only flouridated water only. All clear. Nothing to see here. Happened a long time ago so what difference does it make now.

[Blackyce]

According to the article the leak is so bad that you’d receive a high (but non-lethal) dose of radiation if you stood a foot and a half away from it? I will helpfully suggest that noone do that.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

maine-iac7 ~:" Is there any way to close the lid on this Pandora's Box? "

How about deep water fracking ?
Inject it into earth's crust a mile (+) down under multi-layers of rock and sediment ; then cap it off !!
It might require the scrapping of all transport and drill rigs , but thats better than scrapping a nation.

[GOPJ]

It WAS a meltdown, right?

[TexasGunLover]

It WAS a meltdown, right?

Yes, 3 meltdowns.

[aumrl]

But don’t you know the sky is falling?! Now the whole Pacific Ocean is at risk!!
Is it time to evacuate the Philippines ? Guam ??
How many thousands have already died!?!?

[maine-iac7]

TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhA6uh5UyAQ

and today

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ8O6JqpPDs

also this month - take off the blinders

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCf4MkD4qm4

and if you want to here what a scientist has to say

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCf4MkD4qm4

[little jeremiah]

I agree - no one wanted to jump in and help because they would have had to admit the danger of nuke power. I realized from reading obsessively when the Fuku happened that nuke bombs are actually much less dangerous in the long run than nuke plants gone bad. And since no one still has a clue what to do with all the spent fuel, all over the world, every bunch of spent fuel is nothing but a ticking time bomb.

All just to boil water to make steam to generate electricity. One of the absolute stupidest ideas humans every came up with. Why the hell not just use coal. The world would be a lot better if all nuke power plants were coal fired instead and nuke power and never been used. There are no piles of used coal that are highly radioactive, require a lot of electricity and upkeep to keep safe, and have to be monitored and kept cook for who knows how many years, all over the world.

Just because science and technology can figure something out doesn’t mean it’s automatically good, beneficial or useful for humankind. People with blind devotion to science and technology need to find another god to worship, preferable the real one.

[maine-iac7]

you ask: “It WAS a meltdown, right?
“

Actually - it was THREE meltdowns.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/06/06/japan.nuclear.meltdown/index.html

but don’t tell the FR deniers that. It’s no worse than eating a banana ... they proclaim

[Thud]

That is very possible. The fog of lies makes it hard to figure out how bad things really are. Which is why TEPCO lies so much.

[maine-iac7]

[maine-iac7]

What?

ANother Freeper who realizes the Pandora's Box syndrome of Nuclear power? And what's happening in Fukushima?

Thank Goodness. I was feeling pretty lonely - there seems to be a majority of head-in-the-sand Freepers when it comes to Nuclear power -

[ransomnote]

The amount of radiation a nuclear worker is permitted is roughly equivalent to the amount of exposure you would get from eating one extra banana in a year.

Bananas are rich in potassium-40, a radioactive element. If you eat it, you get exposed to it. Brazil nuts are rich in Radium. Carbon 14 is radioactive, and you get some with every vegetable you eat.

Certainly nuclear workers should have low exposure limits, and they do. I don’t think it is a service to compare exposure to these very low limits.

I will still eat bananas, brazil nuts, and vegetables.

6 posted on Wednesday, August 21, 2013 10:04:23 AM by donmeaker

____________________________________________________

You are obviously ill informed or distributing propaganda. Do you honestly think that the nuclear power industry is limited the quantity of banana equivalent doses to its employees? They’d send staff with specialized training home when they reach their yearly limit?
Have you ever wondered why radioactive materials require DOT licenses and lead shielding when transported but bananas just get thrown in the back of a delivery truck (well no - that would bruise them, “placed” in the back)and displayed in grocery stores? You can’t blame ‘hysterical’ citizens for the disparity in the treatment of radioactive sources and bananas - that’s the territory of the EPA and Department of Transportation.
There is NO comparison between the food items you listed containing radioactive potassium and the issues facing us today re Fukushima. So either you weren’t aware of the differences or you are a nuke apologist who distributes this kind of nonsense in order to ridicule the populace into silence. But that last tactic doesn’t work anymore because of information sharing on the web - we know to ignore anyone who makes banana, nut or vegetable comparisons because those people don’t have enough knowledge of science to comprehend the basics.

[aumrl]

LOL - funny! but not accurate