Last Update: Feb 6, 2023 • Disclaimer: This essay is not about the efficacy of nuclear energy. It focuses only on the Fukushima Decommissioning Project.

Overview

WHAT
TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company, the owner of the Fukushima nuclear power plant) is about to release over 1.3 million tons of radioactive waste water from the Fukushima meltdown into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan, beginning March or April 2023.

The science and Pacific Islands communities are pushing back because it is estimated that the radioactive material could affect life all over the Pacific Ocean, with dangerous environmental consequences on ocean life all the way up the food chain, including for humans. Groups opposed include some of the most major scientific ocean institutes like: the National Association of Marine Laboratories, over 100 labs including Monterey Bay Research Institute, Stanford,

The implications could last lifetimes and cannot be reversed once released. Here is a compilation of resources to get you up to speed.

Don’t forget to act to make sure this dump stops.

Background

flowmodel SOURCE: https://www.geomar.de/en/news/article/fukushima-the-fate-of-contaminated-waters

Fukushima Background

Fukushima Daiichi is one of the largest nuclear meltdowns in history. Currently there are over 1.3 million tons of radioactive waste water stored in tanks near the site of the meltdown. Storage costs and real estate implications have been cited as the reason for a new plan to “discharge” the tanks into the Pacific Ocean, despite the presence of radioactive materials.

Radioactive waste from Fukushima already exists on US shores.

Radioactive contamination from Fukushima has been detected in US plants, animals, and food supply, ranging from fish (Stanford) to wine (CNN). Computer models by GEOMAR show the diluted radionuclides reaching U.S. fisheries in 5-16 months. An independent, comprehensive review of the situation was published in the Japan Times on August 26, 2022.

radsincrease SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_Chernobyl_and_Fukushima_nuclear_accidents

Dispersal of radionuclides

Radioactive contamination of the environment by radionuclide dispersion is much more hazardous and insidious than exposure to a localized radiation source. This is because ingested or inhaled particles accumulate inside the body and continue to damage internal organs for the lifetime of the person. For example tritium, a beta emitter, causes significantly more damage to internal organs. This is in contrast to an external and temporary radiation source which can be distanced and gives the patient time to heal. If the radionuclides enter the water supply and food supply, these little particles will continue to emit radiation for hundreds of years, or the half-life of the specific isotope.

spreaddemo SOURCE: https://remm.hhs.gov/index.html

Unknowns, Potential Risks and Side effects

Proposals released by TEPCO describe discharging of “treated” radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean by mid-2023. The discharge is a 30-year process of continuous release into the ocean. The reports also appear to evaluate the changes in radiation dosage over time in the environment. However, several environmental groups and nuclear energy consultancies pointed out that TEPCO’s water treatment technology, ALPS, could not remove tritium and other radioactive isotopes.

radsincrease SOURCE: docs/assets/reports/report_1_review_mission_to_tepco_and_meti.pdf

Environmental Effects

Marine plants produce up to 80% of our oxygen, and aquatic invertebrates constitute approximately 90% of life on the planet, and play a vital role in ecosystem function. The ocean is critical in our strategy to solve climate change. Irreversibly contaminating the entire Ocean with radioactive materials undermines ecological stability.

TEPCO’s data doesn’t account for bioaccumulation

Scientists studying marine wildlife around the reactor site are concerned about the effects of radioactive waste on the aquatic environment. Despite TEPCO’s claims that these radionuclides will be diluted and therefore present in only small quantities, these do not account for the accumulation of radionuclides in consumers higher up in the food chain, including humans.

Lab studies have presented evidence for DNA damage from extended exposure to radioactive particles, including isotopes (such as tritium) found at the Fukushima reactor site. Health assessments of Palau and Pacific Island nation citizens who were subjected to nuclear testing, also provide evidence of radioisotopes having detrimental effects on humans.

It is also critically important to consider that the natural water cycle will precipitate contaminated water particles and carry them inland, which will release radionuclides into our watersheds and soils.

Alternative Solutions and Recommendations

Multiple remediation plans and waste recycling plans have been proposed by academic institutions and scientists.

Storage: The University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Fairewinds Energy Institute, and Greenpeace all recommend the continuation of storage, thereby allowing for the half-life of many radionuclides to decay significantly to safer levels.
SOURCE: https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-japan-stateless/2021/12/9a52607f-public-comment-on-fukushima-radiological-assessment-.pdf
SOURCE: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/05/02/treated-nuclear-wastewater-dump
SOURCE: https://www.fairewinds.org/fairewinds-recomendation-for-fukushima/?rq=Fairewinds%20reco

Injecting drilling mud: Aside from long-term storage, Fairewinds Energy Education also recommends focusing on preventing groundwater leaks by injecting drilling mud.
Mycoremediation: Paul Stamets, a renowned mycologist, has developed a bioremediation plan to utilize fungi to decontaminate radioactive regions at the site.
Detritiation: Laker TRF, a Canadian company, offers a cost-effective water detritiation technology, removing the radioactive isotope from Fukushima’s nuclear waste.
Nuclear waste recycling: The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was able to achieve ignition for nuclear fusion using tritium, found in Fukushima’s contaminated water, showing promise for recycling nuclear waste into energy.

Pulse lasers: A Nobel-prize winning solution has been developed which could cut the lifespan of nuclear waste from “a million years to 30 minutes” using lasers.

International Law

The London Convention

The London Convention, aka “The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972,” is an agreement to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the convention which was drafted in 1972. It is the current global agreement on dumping waste in the sea. As of September 2016, there were 89 Parties to the convention.

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Convention_on_the_Prevention_of_Marine_Pollution_by_Dumping_of_Wastes_and_Other_Matter

“[H]ailed by environmentalists as a turning point in the protection of the world’s oceans, the United States and 36 other governments voted yesterday to impose a permanent, legally binding ban on the dumping of all types of radioactive waste at sea.” - New York Times, 1993. (in reference to The London Convention)

While modern micro-nuclear reactors offer unprecedented power density and operational capabilities for many future applications, including high-speed space travel and interplanetary human expansion, international laws help to ensure a safe and healthy environment for future generations of humans, animals, and all other life. The passing of this agreement represented the best of international collaboration and proved that safe nuclear power and healthy oceans could coexist.

The London Convention Loophole

However, there is a loophole in the London Convention that allows Japan to discharge the Fukushima waste. The London Convention covers the deliberate disposal at sea of wastes or other matter from vessels, aircraft, and platforms. It does not cover discharges from land-based sources such as pipes and outfalls.

SOURCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Convention_on_the_Prevention_of_Marine_Pollution_by_Dumping_of_Wastes_and_Other_Matter

What does this mean? If Japan took this waste water, put it on a ship, and tried to dump it in the ocean, it would be considered an illegal dump. But since it will be coming from a pipe, it will be considered a legal discharge.

The Precautionary Principle

The most important component of the London Convention is the Precautionary principle where there is a possibility for irreversible damage. It is time to reaffirm our commitment to The London Convention for our children and future generations.

London Convention: docs/assets/reports/london_convention_pdf.pdf

Acknowledgement

All of the hard work and valuable research in this document was completed and made possible by University of Hawaii at Manoa, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Greenpeace, Stanford University, Fairewinds Energy Education, Nuclear Consultants Group, SFGate, New York Times.

Resources

“Tuna caught off California carry radiation from the Japanese disaster, Stanford scientist finds” https://news.stanford.edu/news/2012/may/tuna-radioactive-materials-053012.html

“Cesium-137 can get into your body if it's inhaled or ingested. Exposure to radiation from cesium137 can result in malignant tumors and shortening of life. “

https://semspub.epa.gov/work/HQ/176308.pdf

“Scientists say impact of long term low-dose [radiation] exposure to the environment and humans are unknown, and that tritium can have a bigger impact on humans when consumed in fish than in water.”

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Japan-OKs-plan-to-release-Fukushima-nuclear-plant-17180803.php

“Fukushima Radiation Detected Off California Coast” https://www.iflscience.com/harmless-levels-fukushima-radiation-detected-california-coast-26283

“Tests of milk samples taken last week in Spokane, Washington., indicate the presence of radioactive iodine from the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan “ https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/us/31milk.html

Greenpeace Summary & Recommendation
https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-japan-stateless/2021/12/9a52607f-public-comment-on-fukushima-radiological-assessment-.pdf

Fairewinds Recommendations:
https://www.fairewinds.org/fairewinds-recomendation-for-fukushima/?rq=Fairewinds%20reco

University of Hawaii Recommendations:
https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2022/05/02/treated-nuclear-wastewater-dump

Paul Stamets Recommendation & Petition:
https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/how-mushrooms-can-clean-radioactive-contamination-8-step-plan

https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/implement-paul-stamets

Lasers could cut lifespan of nuclear waste from “a million years to 30 minutes,” says Nobel laureate
https://bigthink.com/the-present/laser-nuclear-waste/

Science: Opening the floodgates at Fukushima

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abc1507

Friends of the Earth Statement: TEPCO Dumping Radioactive Wastewater Into Sea

https://foe.org/news/2011-04-tepco-dumping-radioactive-wastewater-into-sea/

Nuclear Consulting Group: Should TEPCO / Japanese Government Dump Tritium-Contaminated Water from Fukushima into the Sea?

https://www.nuclearconsult.com/blog/should-tepco-japanese-government-dump-tritium-contaminated-water-from-fukushima-into-the-sea/

Official TEPCO AFPS Water Treatment Plan:

https://www.iaea.org/sites/default/files/report_1_review_mission_to_tepco_and_meti.pdf

Official TEPCO Decommissioning site:

https://www.tepco.co.jp/en/hd/responsibility/index-e.html

Impact of Radioactive Wastewater on Marine Life

https://theconversation.com/nuclear-power-how-might-radioactive-waste-water-affect-the-environment-159483