What are the effects of nuclear contaminated water discharged into the sea in Japan？How to ensure the safety of Japan-related food？
Source: CCTV News
Countdown to Japan's release of contaminated water into the sea。According to Japanese media reported on the 24th local time, the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company decided to discharge the contaminated water from the Fukushima First nuclear power plant into the sea at 13:00 local time on the 24th if meteorological conditions permit。Tepco said it had taken samples of contaminated water to be released into the ocean and found the concentration of tritium was' up to standard '。Previously, Tokyo Electric Power Company also announced the emission plan, will discharge a total of 7,800 tons of nuclear contaminated water in 17 days, 2023 is expected to discharge about 3.12万吨。
It has been 12 years since the March 11, 2011, tsunami-triggered earthquake that caused an explosion at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant。After the accident, in order to cool the nuclear reactors, the operator of the Fukushima first nuclear power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company, needs to continue to inject water to cool the reactors, and groundwater and rainwater infiltration, forming a large amount of nuclear-contaminated water。
Today, Japan's accumulated nuclear contaminated water has more than 1.3 million tons, and is increasing at a rate of more than 100 tons per day, and it is expected that the future of Japan's nuclear contaminated water will continue to discharge into the sea for at least 30 years。If the contaminated water continues to increase, the discharge will continue。
The Japanese government's push to release nuclear contaminated water into the sea has aroused strong opposition and doubts from domestic fishing groups, Pacific coastal regions, South Pacific island countries and the international community。
What will be the impact of Japan's decision to release nuclear-contaminated water into the sea despite opposition？What should we do about it？
What are the impacts of nuclear contaminated water discharge into the sea？
In the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company's nuclear contaminated water discharge plan, the multi-nuclide treatment system (ALPS) is the key。Japan insists that the nuclear-contaminated water treated by ALPS is "treated water" and believes that the "treated water" has reached the standard and can be discharged。But this is not the case。
First, nuclear contaminated water, many radionuclides do not have effective treatment technology。
Fukushima nuclear contaminated water contains more than 60 radionuclides, such as tritium, carbon-14, iodine-129, many of which have not yet been effectively treated, and Japan has been making "the problem is only tritium" misleading。
In a 2020 investigation report titled "The Contaminated Water Crisis at the Tepco Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant," an international environmental organization pointed out that high levels of radiocarbon 14 exist in nuclear-contaminated water, and ALPS was not designed to remove carbon-14。Report author Sean Burney, a German researcher, pointed out that Tepco did not acknowledge the presence of carbon-14 in so-called "treated water" until 2020。
International environmental organizations have found that ALPS cannot remove radioactive tritium and carbon-14, nor can it completely remove other radioactive isotopes, such as strontium-90, iodine-129 and cobalt-60。
Second, radionuclides in nuclear contaminated water affect human health。
Japan claims that after being diluted by seawater, the concentration of tritium in the water will reach less than one-fortieth of the Japanese control standard。However, dilution does not reduce the total dose of radioactivity released from contaminated water。
南京大学环境学院教授毛亮举了一个例子，“核辐射暴露分为内暴露跟外暴露，氚释放的是β射线，氚水排放到海洋里，藻会利用氚水把它合成蛋白有机物，藻又是虾和鱼的食物，它就会被鱼和虾吃掉，成为鱼和虾体内的蛋白。Then in the process of eating fish and shrimp, tritium in the protein may be introduced into the body, and it will become a part of the body, which will occur long-term internal exposure, which is bound to affect health。”
Gao Zhiguo, president of the China Society of Maritime Law and former judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, said，After these radionuclides enter the Marine environment ecology，Tritium may not even be the most dangerous，The most harmful effects on humans and Marine life are carbon-14 and iodine-129，Carbon-14 has a half-life of more than 5,000 years，Iodine-129 has a longer half-life。Carbon-14 accumulates in Marine organisms, namely fish, in concentrations that can be up to 50 times greater than tritium。
Third, the impact of nuclear-contaminated water is global。
The German Marine scientific research institute pointed out that the Fukushima coast has the strongest ocean currents in the world, and within 57 days from the date of discharge, radioactive materials will spread to most of the Pacific Ocean, three years later the United States and Canada will be affected by nuclear pollution at the other end of the Pacific Ocean, and 10 years later, the global sea。
Japan insists on releasing food into the sea, How to ensure the safety of Japan-related food？
At present, Japan's nuclear contaminated water into the sea has become the focus of global attention, but also caused Chinese consumers to import food safety concerns from Japan。
2011After the Fukushima nuclear power plant leakage accident in Japan, China has begun to import Japanese food that may be affected by nuclear pollution in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan。In 2011, the former General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued the Notice on Banning the Import of Certain Japanese Food and Agricultural products, which clearly stated that the import of dairy products, vegetables and their products, fruits, aquatic animals and aquatic products from Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures of Japan is prohibited。
The announcement requires strengthening the detection of the concentration of radioactive substances in other imported food and agricultural products produced in these areas, monitoring and risk analysis of imported food and agricultural products produced in other parts of Japan, and strictly prevent the import of radioactive contaminated food and agricultural products。
同年，The former AQSIQ issued the Announcement on Further Strengthening the Inspection and Quarantine Supervision of Food and Agricultural Products Imported from Japan，There are stricter rules on the area scale，In addition to the above areas，It also banned the import of food, agricultural products and feed from the prefectures of Niyojo, Yamagata, Niigata, Nagano, Yamanashi, Saitama and Tokyo。
同年，The former AQSIQ issued the "Notice on Adjusting the Inspection and Quarantine Measures of Japanese Food and Agricultural Products exported to China" requirements: from the date of the notice (June 14, 2011)，Food, edible agricultural products and feed produced in Yamanashi and Yamagata prefectures after May 22, 2011 that meet the requirements of the country are allowed to be imported。
July 7th of this year，China Customs General Administration official said，To prevent radioactive contaminated Japanese food from being exported to China，Chinese customs banned the import of food products from 10 prefectures, including Fukushima，Food products from other parts of Japan, especially aquatic products (including edible aquatic animals), are strictly reviewed and accompanied by supporting documents，Strictly implement 100% inspection，Continue to strengthen the detection and monitoring of radioactive substances，To ensure the safety of Japanese food exported to China。
10The prefectures (capitals) include Fukushima, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano, Saitama, Tokyo, and Chiba。
Experts suggest that when consumers buy imported food from Japan, they should choose businesses with business licenses, food business licenses, high market credibility, and stable business conditions, and properly keep consumption vouchers。At the same time, we should pay attention to whether the imported food has a Chinese label, whether the content of the Chinese label is complete, and pay attention to the origin of the food purchased。If consumers find that the origin of the purchased food is prohibited, they can retain relevant evidence and report it to the market supervision department to protect their rights and interests。
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