Japan has dumped radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean.
A June 6 report by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK confirmed the move, saying that the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began releasing the irradiated seawater on the afternoon of June 5.
According to a separate report by China Daily, the process was carried out “secretly.”
Tokyo’s unilateral decision was to dump more than 1.3 million metric tons of treated, but still radioactive, water into the ocean, which has provoked constant protests from parties inside and outside Japan.
According to China Daily, the amount of irradiated water to be discharged would fill about 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
An expert on nuclear issues said Japan’s discharge of radioactive water from the Fukushima plant could last until the next century.
“Those discharges could begin as early as July, possibly later, and continue for many decades,” he said. “Not just the 30 years – but maybe 50, 60, 70 [or] 80 years. Next century is really possible.”
“When tritium gets inside the body, it’s at least as dangerous as any of the other radionuclides.”
“The tritium molecule comes inside the cell and ejects an electron. It’s like a bullet coming from a gun. That bullet hits something like the DNA,” the expert said.
Read More Here: Japan Begins Discharge Of Radioactive Water From Fukushima Nuclear Plant Into The Ocean
