In November 1962, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin wanted to bring environmental issues into the political agenda. The first task was to persuade President John Kennedy to give visibility to this issue by going on a national conservation tour. President Kennedy liked the idea and began a five-day, eleven-state conservation tour in September 1963. This was the seed that ultimately flowered into Earth Day.
In that era of protests against war and social injustice, millions rallied to the first Earth Day and demand a change. The public demonstration of love for nature led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts. Now, every year in April, people across the world are celebrating the beauty of nature, our rivers and mountains, and wildlife.
Now fast forward about forty years: millions of acres have been established as national parks and wilderness areas and over all the air quality has improved. Nevertheless, over half of our oxygen comes from the ocean. Fish feed millions and the beauty and complexity of marine life leave us in awe. Yet today, a year after the ravages in the Gulf from the BP Oil spill, 90% of large pelagic shark species are going extinct from overfishing and for their fins. Whales and seals have been hunted to a genetic bottle neck and are hunted still. The wolves of the sea and the bluefin tuna are being fished to the vanishing point. And where is our outrage?
New oil wells are being considered along our coast while nuclear power plants hum along our shorelines vulnerable to Tsunami and earthquakes.
The ocean needs our help.
After a week of celebrating the Earth, the people decided that it's time to celebrate our ocean with World Oceans Day. This day had been unofficially celebrated every June 8 since its original proposal in 1992 by Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008. Since then, WOD has been coordinated internationally by The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network with greater success and global participation each year. World Oceans Day is an opportunity every year to honor the world's ocean, to celebrate the all marine life.
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Earth getting 50 C degrees (122 F) hotter in a week
It has all started on May 21st, when lightening stroke not far from a house in Caransebes, Romania. The floor in only one room of the house started to get hotter and hotter in time and the owner had to eventually move all his belongings to avoid burning them. No other plots of land in the area get hotter, not even the very spot directly hit by lightening.
As a precautionary measure the tenant of the house was eventually evicted by authorities from that building when the floor reached a temperature of more than 60 C degrees (140 F) this weekend. Temperature continued to rise to 66 C degree now (150 F).
The strange phenomenon has no clear explanation so far. The gas company sent specialists at the scene and confirmed that they have no pipes there and no other energy networks are in place. Electricity cables are also far from the hot place and no other underground installations exist. Heat emanates from a two square meter (21.5 sq. ft) spot of the floor and an increased electric field with no specific cause was detected even two meters above the floor by the electricity company specialists called by the amazed mayor also present there. The electric field is similar to the one usually forming inside high tension transformer stations. The house built some 20 years ago on a plot of land formerly used by a construction site at the outskirts of the city and seems to have important quantities of scrap iron buried underneath.
A small hole was dug by the specialists in the hot floor of the room only to discover that temperature is rising sharply as the depth grows. Next to the usual paranormal explanations, some tried to give scientific reasons to the phenomenon suggesting the existence of a strongly ascending thermal water spring in the area, a possible ignition of an unknown natural deposit of coal beneath the house or even saying that magma was pushed nearer to the earth crust by the huge energy of the lightening that stroke the near-by area. The Caransebes area of Romania is a tectonic zone but no similar situations were previously reported.
As a precautionary measure the tenant of the house was eventually evicted by authorities from that building when the floor reached a temperature of more than 60 C degrees (140 F) this weekend. Temperature continued to rise to 66 C degree now (150 F).
The strange phenomenon has no clear explanation so far. The gas company sent specialists at the scene and confirmed that they have no pipes there and no other energy networks are in place. Electricity cables are also far from the hot place and no other underground installations exist. Heat emanates from a two square meter (21.5 sq. ft) spot of the floor and an increased electric field with no specific cause was detected even two meters above the floor by the electricity company specialists called by the amazed mayor also present there. The electric field is similar to the one usually forming inside high tension transformer stations. The house built some 20 years ago on a plot of land formerly used by a construction site at the outskirts of the city and seems to have important quantities of scrap iron buried underneath.
A small hole was dug by the specialists in the hot floor of the room only to discover that temperature is rising sharply as the depth grows. Next to the usual paranormal explanations, some tried to give scientific reasons to the phenomenon suggesting the existence of a strongly ascending thermal water spring in the area, a possible ignition of an unknown natural deposit of coal beneath the house or even saying that magma was pushed nearer to the earth crust by the huge energy of the lightening that stroke the near-by area. The Caransebes area of Romania is a tectonic zone but no similar situations were previously reported.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Tornado season in the USA is in full swing
A series of 25 storms hit a wide area from Oklahoma to North Carolina last weekend and left over 45 people dead and extensive damage, also forcing the shutdown of two nuclear reactors. They were only some of the 1000-1200 tornadoes that hit the USA every year with more than 55% of them from April to June. 2003 was an exception when 1,376 tornadoes were reported, the highest number in one year and meteorologists worry that 2011 could witness the same situation.
Since 2007, the intensity of the tornadoes in the USA is measured using the Enhanced Fujita Tornado Damage Scale. In fact, the inventor of this scale, Dr. Tetsuya Theodore Fujita, designed a system that only estimates the wind speeds based on the damages left behind by tornadoes. The strongest tornado last weekend was rated EF3, which means it had 136-165 mph winds.
These tornadoes reignited debates about requirements to make buildings more hurricane resistant.
According to engineers, homes in the USA can stand from 90 – up to a maximum of 110 mph winds. Tornadoes incurred on average 50% of all U.S. insured losses and everybody would be interested to find a way of reducing them. The problem is that even an EF1 rated tornado generally determine extensive damage to any building. EF2 and EF3 tornadoes practically give no chance to a house. Nevertheless, some things can be done. Using two-pane windows and strengthening garage doors (a weak spot in a home) in case of high winds helps you avoid internal pressurization that usually make walls and ceilings burst. Replacing poor shingles with high quality ones prevents their rip off when hurricanes start and avoids greater damages.
U.S. homes are designed to last 50 years and the probability to be hit by a hurricane in that time is extremely low if situated in an area with an average risk. Buildings in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, an area known as “Tornado Alley” are at a greater risk and the solution is building special tornado-resistant shelters in house or underground. Average prices for such shelters are USD 5,000. Building homes stronger is not an option, because only making them 10 times more resistant could give some positive results and this would sharply increase building costs.
Since 2007, the intensity of the tornadoes in the USA is measured using the Enhanced Fujita Tornado Damage Scale. In fact, the inventor of this scale, Dr. Tetsuya Theodore Fujita, designed a system that only estimates the wind speeds based on the damages left behind by tornadoes. The strongest tornado last weekend was rated EF3, which means it had 136-165 mph winds.
These tornadoes reignited debates about requirements to make buildings more hurricane resistant.
According to engineers, homes in the USA can stand from 90 – up to a maximum of 110 mph winds. Tornadoes incurred on average 50% of all U.S. insured losses and everybody would be interested to find a way of reducing them. The problem is that even an EF1 rated tornado generally determine extensive damage to any building. EF2 and EF3 tornadoes practically give no chance to a house. Nevertheless, some things can be done. Using two-pane windows and strengthening garage doors (a weak spot in a home) in case of high winds helps you avoid internal pressurization that usually make walls and ceilings burst. Replacing poor shingles with high quality ones prevents their rip off when hurricanes start and avoids greater damages.
U.S. homes are designed to last 50 years and the probability to be hit by a hurricane in that time is extremely low if situated in an area with an average risk. Buildings in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, an area known as “Tornado Alley” are at a greater risk and the solution is building special tornado-resistant shelters in house or underground. Average prices for such shelters are USD 5,000. Building homes stronger is not an option, because only making them 10 times more resistant could give some positive results and this would sharply increase building costs.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Japan: New emergency standards for nuclear power plants
After the Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan is updating their emergency standards, in their effort to avoid such incidents from ever taking place. The Tokai Daini nuclear plant showed off their new preparedeness measures this week during a training exercise that assumed a complete and total loss of external power in the event that the plant was hit by a 32-foot-high tsunami (a situation much like what occurred at the Fukushima plant).
The Tokai plant has 20-foot-tall walls to prevent a tsunami from knocking out its pump system. To prevent the same situation occurring at the Tokai plant, its owner, Japan Atomic Power Company, has bought a portable truck-mounted electric generator that can be hooked into the system to restore cooling capacity. In the scenario where the plant's pumps are also disabled, the training included workers using pump vehicles to draw water directly from the ocean into the plant's cooling system to cool reactors in an emergency.
The Tokai plant has 20-foot-tall walls to prevent a tsunami from knocking out its pump system. To prevent the same situation occurring at the Tokai plant, its owner, Japan Atomic Power Company, has bought a portable truck-mounted electric generator that can be hooked into the system to restore cooling capacity. In the scenario where the plant's pumps are also disabled, the training included workers using pump vehicles to draw water directly from the ocean into the plant's cooling system to cool reactors in an emergency.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Old technology in Iranian nuclear plant may repeat the March 11 disaster
Iran started the construction of a nuclear plant in an earthquake stricken area of Busher 17 Km (11 miles) from Busher in 1975, together with Germany and further finalized by the Russians. Although it is not ready and is not producing energy yet, the nuclear fuel has been loaded into the plant in November 2010, technically making it a nuclear facility. Fears appeared that the old German components (of which 10% are still in use) and the ones delivered by Russia that took over the construction in 1990 can no longer guarantee the nuclear safety.
Problems have already been reported early this year when one of the reactor’s four main cooling pumps originally delivered by Germany was damaged by metal particles improperly cleaned inside that imposed the removal of the fuel core. Russian and Iranian experts are not worried that a disaster similar to the one in Japan could repeat and consider that 1975 components in the Busher plant cannot be compared with 50 years old parts of the Fukushima equipments. Nevertheless, many doubt that Russian designed nuclear plants could resist better than the Japanese ones in case of a serious tremor. Fukushima uses a “Chernobyl type” technology and after the partial melting of the uranium rods in the aftermath of the earthquake, the metallic glasses it used to increase safety were destroyed. Busher uses a totally different technology, more reliable.
In several months time the nuclear plant will be fully functional and the Russian specialists are supposed to leave Iran. Nobody knows if the Iranian engineers are ready to take over and keep the nuclear plant at the needed level of security.
Problems have already been reported early this year when one of the reactor’s four main cooling pumps originally delivered by Germany was damaged by metal particles improperly cleaned inside that imposed the removal of the fuel core. Russian and Iranian experts are not worried that a disaster similar to the one in Japan could repeat and consider that 1975 components in the Busher plant cannot be compared with 50 years old parts of the Fukushima equipments. Nevertheless, many doubt that Russian designed nuclear plants could resist better than the Japanese ones in case of a serious tremor. Fukushima uses a “Chernobyl type” technology and after the partial melting of the uranium rods in the aftermath of the earthquake, the metallic glasses it used to increase safety were destroyed. Busher uses a totally different technology, more reliable.
In several months time the nuclear plant will be fully functional and the Russian specialists are supposed to leave Iran. Nobody knows if the Iranian engineers are ready to take over and keep the nuclear plant at the needed level of security.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Japan nuclear disaster rose to Level 7 - highest level possible, on a par with Chernobyl
The equivalent of a radiation leak of over ten thousand terabecquerels per hour of iodine 131 is the recommended IAEA boundary for Level 7 accidents. Recent calculations showed that radiation levels at Fukushima reached, at a certain moment on March 11, about 10,000 terabecqerels per hour. Thus the severity of the accident was reclassified today at the same level with Chernobyl catastrophe 25 years ago.
Experts consider that from the very beginning the Japanese authorities knew that the severity of the accident should be raised at Level 7, but delayed the bad news on purpose, not to increase panic.
A Level 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) means a major accident, with repercussions way beyond the initial Level 5 ranking reported at Fukushima on March 18.
The INES scale starts from Level 0 (deviation with no safety significance), goes through Level 1 anomalies, Level 2 and 3 (incidents and serious incidents), reaching more severe stages of Level 4 and Level 5 accidents – without/with significant off-site risk, Level 6 serious accidents and finally the Level 7 major accidents - the highest on this scale.
Level 7 accidents suppose such a release of radiation that results in the possibility of acute health effects on site, delayed health effects over a wide area, possibly involving more than one country and long-term environmental consequences.
The good news is that radiation released at Fukushima is only 10% of the total released from Chernobyl and is decreasing for several weeks now, while the situation is steadily stabilizing. No deaths directly connected with radiation leaked at Fukushima have been reported so far.
Only three of Fukushima’s six units sustained core damage (reactor 1, 2 and 3) and they all had been given on March 18 a Level 5 rating. At the same time a Level 3 rating was given to unit 4, classification that still stands. As renewed calculations of the radiation released in Japan continue, change in present rating may appear in the near future.
Experts consider that from the very beginning the Japanese authorities knew that the severity of the accident should be raised at Level 7, but delayed the bad news on purpose, not to increase panic.
A Level 7 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) means a major accident, with repercussions way beyond the initial Level 5 ranking reported at Fukushima on March 18.
The INES scale starts from Level 0 (deviation with no safety significance), goes through Level 1 anomalies, Level 2 and 3 (incidents and serious incidents), reaching more severe stages of Level 4 and Level 5 accidents – without/with significant off-site risk, Level 6 serious accidents and finally the Level 7 major accidents - the highest on this scale.
Level 7 accidents suppose such a release of radiation that results in the possibility of acute health effects on site, delayed health effects over a wide area, possibly involving more than one country and long-term environmental consequences.
The good news is that radiation released at Fukushima is only 10% of the total released from Chernobyl and is decreasing for several weeks now, while the situation is steadily stabilizing. No deaths directly connected with radiation leaked at Fukushima have been reported so far.
Only three of Fukushima’s six units sustained core damage (reactor 1, 2 and 3) and they all had been given on March 18 a Level 5 rating. At the same time a Level 3 rating was given to unit 4, classification that still stands. As renewed calculations of the radiation released in Japan continue, change in present rating may appear in the near future.
Fukushima evacuation zone expanded
A month after the March 11 earthquake, the 20 km (12 mile) evacuation zone around Fukushima nuclear plant has been extended to 30-40 km (18-24 miles). The new decision was based on data analysis regarding radiation exposure and following pressures from the International Atomic Energy Agency that urged Japan to extend the zone. People should be evacuated within a month. Children, pregnant women, and hospitalized patients will leave first. The United States have advised their citizens to stay 80 km away from the plant.
Another extension of the evacuation zone is expected soon after the completion of the present one. Residents of Iitate (a village 40 km from the Fukushima), have already been told to prepare for a new extension of the evacuation zone because of prolonged exposure to radiation.
The risk of another explosion that could send more radiation into the air has lowered significantly since March 11, but engineers are still struggling to bring the nuclear plant under control after. The fate of the 6 reactors destroyed by the 15-metre tsunami remains grim and TEPCO hopes to stop pumping radioactive water into the ocean today, several days later than planned.
A new powerful earthquake hit Japan today with a 7.1 force on Richter scale and tsunami warning made workers to evacuate the already destroyed nuclear plant. The epicenter of the quake was in Fukushima prefecture at a depth of only10km (six miles). Death toll from the March 11 disaster is 13,127, with 14,348 missing and more than 150,000 people made homeless.
Another extension of the evacuation zone is expected soon after the completion of the present one. Residents of Iitate (a village 40 km from the Fukushima), have already been told to prepare for a new extension of the evacuation zone because of prolonged exposure to radiation.
The risk of another explosion that could send more radiation into the air has lowered significantly since March 11, but engineers are still struggling to bring the nuclear plant under control after. The fate of the 6 reactors destroyed by the 15-metre tsunami remains grim and TEPCO hopes to stop pumping radioactive water into the ocean today, several days later than planned.
A new powerful earthquake hit Japan today with a 7.1 force on Richter scale and tsunami warning made workers to evacuate the already destroyed nuclear plant. The epicenter of the quake was in Fukushima prefecture at a depth of only10km (six miles). Death toll from the March 11 disaster is 13,127, with 14,348 missing and more than 150,000 people made homeless.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
New powerful 7,1 earthquake strikes Japan, triggering tsunami warning
Initially, the Japanese Meteorological Agency reported it as a 7.4 magnitude earthquake with its epicenter located about 40 km east of Ojika Peninsula (closer to the coast than last month's 9,0 earthquake). Later, U.S. representatives of the Geological Survey have established its magnitude at 7.1 on the Richter scale.
The National Police Agency said there were no reports of casualties from anywhere in the earthquake zone. The earthquake struck on Thursday around 11:30 PM local time (15:30 GMT). The epicenter was almost 50 km deep and about 120 km away from Fukushima, in the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 90 minutes later the tsunami warning has been lifted too.
As a precaution, workers have been evacuated from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, although there have been no reports of damage so far, and it seems the power is still on there.
However, we still have to wait for the workers to return to the power plant in order to know for sure if any new leaks have developed as a result of this new and powerful earthquake. For the moment, the radiation level remains the same.
The National Police Agency said there were no reports of casualties from anywhere in the earthquake zone. The earthquake struck on Thursday around 11:30 PM local time (15:30 GMT). The epicenter was almost 50 km deep and about 120 km away from Fukushima, in the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 90 minutes later the tsunami warning has been lifted too.
As a precaution, workers have been evacuated from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, although there have been no reports of damage so far, and it seems the power is still on there.
However, we still have to wait for the workers to return to the power plant in order to know for sure if any new leaks have developed as a result of this new and powerful earthquake. For the moment, the radiation level remains the same.
Consolation allowances for people living near the Fukushima nuclear plant
The operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant provided "consolation allowances" as compensation for the inhabitants of ten neighboring towns that had been evacuated, reported TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) on Tuesday.
One of the municipalities has declined the donation of 20 million yen (180,000 euros), which is a testament to the growing public anger against TEPCO.
A municipal spokesman said they refused the offer, "which leaves us free to further criticize the company."
"The local population is exceeding 20,000 inhabitants and every resident would have received just over 1,000 yen (approx. nine euros). This (amount) does not allow victims to live."
Approximately 80,000 people are living within the 20 km radius around the power plant that has been damaged in the earthquake followed by a tsunami on 11 March and they were forced to evacuate the area, leaving everything behind.
Many farmers in the Fukushima county were forced to discontinue marketing of vegetables and milk because of high levels of radioactivity derived from four of the six nuclear reactors.
In more than three weeks after the 14 meters high tsunami the situation remains problematic, as long as the cooling systems at nuclear power plant are still not functioning.
One of the municipalities has declined the donation of 20 million yen (180,000 euros), which is a testament to the growing public anger against TEPCO.
A municipal spokesman said they refused the offer, "which leaves us free to further criticize the company."
"The local population is exceeding 20,000 inhabitants and every resident would have received just over 1,000 yen (approx. nine euros). This (amount) does not allow victims to live."
Approximately 80,000 people are living within the 20 km radius around the power plant that has been damaged in the earthquake followed by a tsunami on 11 March and they were forced to evacuate the area, leaving everything behind.
Many farmers in the Fukushima county were forced to discontinue marketing of vegetables and milk because of high levels of radioactivity derived from four of the six nuclear reactors.
In more than three weeks after the 14 meters high tsunami the situation remains problematic, as long as the cooling systems at nuclear power plant are still not functioning.
First victory at Fukushima: workers have sealed radioactive water leak
Sources from Fukushima have reported that the workers have managed to stop the water leak from reactor 2, thus putting an end to the flow of the highly radioactive iodine into the ocean. They had been working around the clock, struggling for almost a month to keep the damaged reactors from overheating. Nevertheless, the Japanese officials warned that the fight is still far from over.
Until Wednesday, radioactive liquid was flowing into the ocean from a cracked concrete shaft near the turbine plant's water intake. Workers managed to seal that breach on Wednesday morning, but officials say they still have other important problems to solve.
"Is it completely stopped? We cannot be optimistic, just because we were able to plug this one." said Yukio Edano, chief of the Secretary Cabinet. Hidehiko Nishiyama of Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said the now-contained water "may lead to more leakage somewhere else."
Precautionary measures have been taken to minimize the risk of any additional explosions at other reactors. TEPCO announced that "The possibility of a hydrogen explosion is extremely low, but more hydrogen could eventually develop in the containment vessel." Hydrogen buildup is a symptom of overheating fuel rods and can cause explosions like the blast that blew the roof off reactor 1 and 3. But Tokyo Electric said it did not believe any explosion was imminent.
Since the leak was discovered (on Saturday, April 2nd), concentrations of iodine-131 measured in the water near the reactor have been million times higher than the legal limites. After plugging the leak, they have dropped dramatically (to less than 4 percent of that amount) in 24 hours, according to figures released by Tokyo Electric. The level remained 280,000 times higher than the legal limit, but these concentrations are dropping fast. The levels of cesium-137 remained higher than those of the iodine (about 61,000 times the legal limit), but much lower than initially measured during the leak.
Samples from a monitoring point 20 kilometers South-East of the plant found iodine-131 levels down to 1.5 times legal limit, with no reading for cesium. Experts said that the existing releases should not pose any long-term health risks to humans or sea life, as most radiatioactive particles detected are iodine-131 which loses half of its radiation every eight days.
Nevertheless, the existence of this still significant amount of radioactive water around the facility suggests that there may be other leaks and other problems.
Until Wednesday, radioactive liquid was flowing into the ocean from a cracked concrete shaft near the turbine plant's water intake. Workers managed to seal that breach on Wednesday morning, but officials say they still have other important problems to solve.
"Is it completely stopped? We cannot be optimistic, just because we were able to plug this one." said Yukio Edano, chief of the Secretary Cabinet. Hidehiko Nishiyama of Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said the now-contained water "may lead to more leakage somewhere else."
Precautionary measures have been taken to minimize the risk of any additional explosions at other reactors. TEPCO announced that "The possibility of a hydrogen explosion is extremely low, but more hydrogen could eventually develop in the containment vessel." Hydrogen buildup is a symptom of overheating fuel rods and can cause explosions like the blast that blew the roof off reactor 1 and 3. But Tokyo Electric said it did not believe any explosion was imminent.
Since the leak was discovered (on Saturday, April 2nd), concentrations of iodine-131 measured in the water near the reactor have been million times higher than the legal limites. After plugging the leak, they have dropped dramatically (to less than 4 percent of that amount) in 24 hours, according to figures released by Tokyo Electric. The level remained 280,000 times higher than the legal limit, but these concentrations are dropping fast. The levels of cesium-137 remained higher than those of the iodine (about 61,000 times the legal limit), but much lower than initially measured during the leak.
Samples from a monitoring point 20 kilometers South-East of the plant found iodine-131 levels down to 1.5 times legal limit, with no reading for cesium. Experts said that the existing releases should not pose any long-term health risks to humans or sea life, as most radiatioactive particles detected are iodine-131 which loses half of its radiation every eight days.
Nevertheless, the existence of this still significant amount of radioactive water around the facility suggests that there may be other leaks and other problems.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Traces of radioactivity from Fukushima found in Moscow
Traces of radioactivity from the nuclear power plant in Fukushima were found in Russia's capital city, but should pose no threat to the health of the population, according to the authorities.
RADON, a company specialized in nuclear decontamination, has detected tiny radioactive particles in Moscow, according to deputy director, Oleg Polski. "Since March 23, we recorded a level of radioactivity which has the characteristics of a nuclear emergency" said Polski. It is the presence of substances such as Iodine 131, Cesium 134, Cesium 137 and Telurium 132.
"The isotopes presence demonstrate links with the accident at Fukushima, but particles are not dangerous to humans" assures Polski.
Moscow, located in the western part of Russia, was probably affected by the radioactive cloud that has reached Eastern Europe a couple of days ago.
Last week, Russia banned imports of food from four Japanese prefectures affected by the accident at the Fukushima.
RADON, a company specialized in nuclear decontamination, has detected tiny radioactive particles in Moscow, according to deputy director, Oleg Polski. "Since March 23, we recorded a level of radioactivity which has the characteristics of a nuclear emergency" said Polski. It is the presence of substances such as Iodine 131, Cesium 134, Cesium 137 and Telurium 132.
"The isotopes presence demonstrate links with the accident at Fukushima, but particles are not dangerous to humans" assures Polski.
Moscow, located in the western part of Russia, was probably affected by the radioactive cloud that has reached Eastern Europe a couple of days ago.
Last week, Russia banned imports of food from four Japanese prefectures affected by the accident at the Fukushima.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Developing ozone hole approaches Europe
An extended area of depleted ozone formed over the North Pole that is currently thinning rapidly, will reach Scandinavia and Eastern Europe by the end of this month (March 30 - 31).
The ozone layer that is thinning with a very high speed has been detected for the first time by an international network that includes 30 ground stations that measure ozone, mounted in arctic and sub-arctic regions, coordinated by Alfred Wegener, scientist at the Institute for Polar and Marine Research, reports EurActiv.com.
Latest forecasts, based on information provided by the European centre for medium-term weather forecasts show that the thin ozone layer will reach both Scandinavia and Eastern Europe around March 30 - 31.
"The ozone loss is still going on at high rates and we don't see an end to that for at least 10-14 days," Markus Rex, an atmospheric scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, told EurActiv. He also added that it was "absolutely possible" that the thinning parts of the ozone layer could turn into an "ozone hole".
Polar station measurements showed that around half of the ozone had been destroyed at some latitudes, and the Arctic just suffered a record loss of ozone, which protects earth from ultra-violet (UV) radiation.
The research team said the low ozone area will be above Eastern Russia by the end of March and will continue moving.
"People should be vigilant but they shouldn't be worried," Gier Braathen, a senior scientific officer at the World Meteorological Organisation, told EurActiv. "You can protect yourself by keeping informed, putting on a wide-brimmed hat and sun screen, and not spending too many hours outdoors."
The ozone layer that is thinning with a very high speed has been detected for the first time by an international network that includes 30 ground stations that measure ozone, mounted in arctic and sub-arctic regions, coordinated by Alfred Wegener, scientist at the Institute for Polar and Marine Research, reports EurActiv.com.
Latest forecasts, based on information provided by the European centre for medium-term weather forecasts show that the thin ozone layer will reach both Scandinavia and Eastern Europe around March 30 - 31.
"The ozone loss is still going on at high rates and we don't see an end to that for at least 10-14 days," Markus Rex, an atmospheric scientist at the Alfred Wegener Institute, told EurActiv. He also added that it was "absolutely possible" that the thinning parts of the ozone layer could turn into an "ozone hole".
Polar station measurements showed that around half of the ozone had been destroyed at some latitudes, and the Arctic just suffered a record loss of ozone, which protects earth from ultra-violet (UV) radiation.
The research team said the low ozone area will be above Eastern Russia by the end of March and will continue moving.
"People should be vigilant but they shouldn't be worried," Gier Braathen, a senior scientific officer at the World Meteorological Organisation, told EurActiv. "You can protect yourself by keeping informed, putting on a wide-brimmed hat and sun screen, and not spending too many hours outdoors."
Saturday, March 26, 2011
High level of radioactive iodine measured in the sea water near Fukushima
A radioactive iodine level 1,250 times higher than normal has been measured in the sea water, a few hundred meters off the coast near the Fukushima nuclear power plant, in North-Eastern Japan, announced on Saturday the Japanese Agency for Nuclear Safety.
The agency said the tests had been conducted by the company that manages power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), in the water off the coast of reactor 1.
"If you drank 500 ml of water with this concentration of iodine, you would immediately reach the annual maximum limit that you can absorb. This is a relatively high level." said an agency spokesman.
He added that "the radioactivity released into the sea will dilute due to the tide, which in turn means that the concentration would have to be much higher for marine algae and animals to absorb", he added.
"In addition, the concentration of iodine is reducing itself by half every eight days, so that when people will eat these sea food products, the quantity will most likely be greatly reduced" he said.
Tuesday, the level of iodine 131 was 126 times higher than the legal limit set by the Government in the water tested in the Pacific Ocean at the exact same place, near Fukushima Daiichi plant. Therefore, radioactive iodine concentration increased approximately ten times in just a few days.
Public authorities have announced increased controls imposed on fish and seafood caught along the coast.
This nuclear power plant located 250 km North-East of Tokyo, was severely damaged by the earthquake followed by a tsunami on March 11. Cooling systems at four of the reactors have been shut down since then, resulting in numerous incidents and emissions of radioactive particles.
The agency said the tests had been conducted by the company that manages power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), in the water off the coast of reactor 1.
"If you drank 500 ml of water with this concentration of iodine, you would immediately reach the annual maximum limit that you can absorb. This is a relatively high level." said an agency spokesman.
He added that "the radioactivity released into the sea will dilute due to the tide, which in turn means that the concentration would have to be much higher for marine algae and animals to absorb", he added.
"In addition, the concentration of iodine is reducing itself by half every eight days, so that when people will eat these sea food products, the quantity will most likely be greatly reduced" he said.
Tuesday, the level of iodine 131 was 126 times higher than the legal limit set by the Government in the water tested in the Pacific Ocean at the exact same place, near Fukushima Daiichi plant. Therefore, radioactive iodine concentration increased approximately ten times in just a few days.
Public authorities have announced increased controls imposed on fish and seafood caught along the coast.
This nuclear power plant located 250 km North-East of Tokyo, was severely damaged by the earthquake followed by a tsunami on March 11. Cooling systems at four of the reactors have been shut down since then, resulting in numerous incidents and emissions of radioactive particles.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Japan: Increased radioactive levels in tap water in Tokyo
The latest control shows increased radioactive levels in both running water and food products!
A radioactive iodine level above the legal limit allowed for infants has been detected in tap water in the 35 million people metropolis located 250 kilometers South-West of the Fukushima nuclear plant, announced authorities on Wednesday.
A city official said that a iodine concentration of 210 becquerel per kilogram was found in samples taken from running water, while the limit set by the Japanese for babies is only 100 becquerel.
Also Wednesday, the Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan urged people not to consume vegetables, especially spinach, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, where abnormal levels of radioactivity have been detected. He temporarily banned the sale of green vegetables from Fukushima and raw milk and parsley coming from Ibaraki.
Radioactive substances in quantities greater than legal norms have been detected in 11 types of vegetables in areas near the Fukushima nuclear power plant, announced the Japanese Ministry of Health.
A level of 82.000 becquerel radiocaesium - 164 times the legal limit - was measured in leaves of some vegetables from Motomiya, a village in Fukushima Prefecture, together with a level of radioactive iodine of 15.000 becquerel, seven times higher than the limit, according to the ministry.
If a person consumed 100 grams of contaminated vegetables each day for ten days, this would amount to half the radiation level to which a person shhould ever be exposed during a year, the ministry said.
Fear of a major contamination of fish and seafood has intensified Tuesday after the discovery of an abnormally high level of radioactive substances in seawater near the Fukushima plant.
The United States stopped the import of food products from the 4 prefectures surrounding the nuclear plant. France in turn asked the European Commission to impose a "systematic control" of the imports of fresh products from Japan at the EU borders.
A radioactive iodine level above the legal limit allowed for infants has been detected in tap water in the 35 million people metropolis located 250 kilometers South-West of the Fukushima nuclear plant, announced authorities on Wednesday.
A city official said that a iodine concentration of 210 becquerel per kilogram was found in samples taken from running water, while the limit set by the Japanese for babies is only 100 becquerel.
Also Wednesday, the Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan urged people not to consume vegetables, especially spinach, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, where abnormal levels of radioactivity have been detected. He temporarily banned the sale of green vegetables from Fukushima and raw milk and parsley coming from Ibaraki.
Radioactive substances in quantities greater than legal norms have been detected in 11 types of vegetables in areas near the Fukushima nuclear power plant, announced the Japanese Ministry of Health.
A level of 82.000 becquerel radiocaesium - 164 times the legal limit - was measured in leaves of some vegetables from Motomiya, a village in Fukushima Prefecture, together with a level of radioactive iodine of 15.000 becquerel, seven times higher than the limit, according to the ministry.
If a person consumed 100 grams of contaminated vegetables each day for ten days, this would amount to half the radiation level to which a person shhould ever be exposed during a year, the ministry said.
Fear of a major contamination of fish and seafood has intensified Tuesday after the discovery of an abnormally high level of radioactive substances in seawater near the Fukushima plant.
The United States stopped the import of food products from the 4 prefectures surrounding the nuclear plant. France in turn asked the European Commission to impose a "systematic control" of the imports of fresh products from Japan at the EU borders.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Radioactive traces in the tap water in Tokyo
Authorities said they found traces of radioactivity in drinking water in Tokyo and five other regions. They also announced that spinach and milk from two prefectures near the plant have been slightly irradiated too.
However, officials from the Japanese Ministry of Science have declared that: "Doses are lower than the maximum level allowed".
"The ministry has started to make measurements of current water quality on Saturday and we have detected traces of radioactive iodine and cesium", said an official from the Ministry in charge of verification (quoted by AFP).
The radioactive iodine was detected in tap water in the prefectures of Tokyo, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba and Niigata, he said. In addition, caesium was discovered in the drinking water distributed in Gunma and Tochigi prefectures.
The highest levels were recorded in Tochigi, 77 becquerel per liter of water for radioactive iodine and 1.6 becquerel per liter of water for cesium. However, these values are still lower than those legally accepted in Japan. Japanese law stipulates that radioactive iodine in the water can not exceed 300 becquerel per liter, and cesium can not exceed 200 becquerel per liter, according to Japanese Ministry of Health.
However, officials from the Japanese Ministry of Science have declared that: "Doses are lower than the maximum level allowed".
"The ministry has started to make measurements of current water quality on Saturday and we have detected traces of radioactive iodine and cesium", said an official from the Ministry in charge of verification (quoted by AFP).
The radioactive iodine was detected in tap water in the prefectures of Tokyo, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba and Niigata, he said. In addition, caesium was discovered in the drinking water distributed in Gunma and Tochigi prefectures.
The highest levels were recorded in Tochigi, 77 becquerel per liter of water for radioactive iodine and 1.6 becquerel per liter of water for cesium. However, these values are still lower than those legally accepted in Japan. Japanese law stipulates that radioactive iodine in the water can not exceed 300 becquerel per liter, and cesium can not exceed 200 becquerel per liter, according to Japanese Ministry of Health.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Japan has lifted the serverity level of the Fukushima accident from 4 to 5
11.35 Update: The Japanese Nuclear Agency raised from 4 to 5 the severity level of the accident at Fukushima.
10.10 Update: Japanese engineers take into account burying the nuclear reactor in sand and concrete in order to save Japan from a nuclear catastrophe.
Nevertheless, the potential nuclear disaster at Fukushima has a good chance of being avoided. The technicians have restored the electricity supply necessary for the cooling pumps at reactors 5 and 6. The situation situation still remains critic at the other four reactors, more seriously damaged by explosions and fires.
Meanwhile, the radioactivity level near the nuclear power plant has decreased slightly. A priority remains cooling the first four reactors, where it's believed that part of the nuclear fuel (in the reactor's core) has already melted. Technicians continue their efforts to restore the operation of the cooling pumps, which triggered the this chain of events in the first place. Until now, water has been poured over the reactors from helicopters, which seems to have slowly started to stabilize the situation.
As a precaution, passengers and goods arriving from Japan are being tested for radioactivity in airports. So far they have only detected radiation in certain parcels of goods, but the level is still far below the risk limits.
10.10 Update: Japanese engineers take into account burying the nuclear reactor in sand and concrete in order to save Japan from a nuclear catastrophe.
Nevertheless, the potential nuclear disaster at Fukushima has a good chance of being avoided. The technicians have restored the electricity supply necessary for the cooling pumps at reactors 5 and 6. The situation situation still remains critic at the other four reactors, more seriously damaged by explosions and fires.
Meanwhile, the radioactivity level near the nuclear power plant has decreased slightly. A priority remains cooling the first four reactors, where it's believed that part of the nuclear fuel (in the reactor's core) has already melted. Technicians continue their efforts to restore the operation of the cooling pumps, which triggered the this chain of events in the first place. Until now, water has been poured over the reactors from helicopters, which seems to have slowly started to stabilize the situation.
As a precaution, passengers and goods arriving from Japan are being tested for radioactivity in airports. So far they have only detected radiation in certain parcels of goods, but the level is still far below the risk limits.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Hope revives: Reactor 2 connected to an external source of electricity
Japanese authorities have informed the International Atomic Energy Agency that engineers were able to finally connect one of the reactors (Reactor 2 of the Fukushima nuclear power plant) to an external source of electricity.
Tepco had been trying to connect the power line yesterday, but radiation risks postponed the work.
The new power line means that they will most likely be able to cool down the core of the reactor before it melts. Tepco already had resorted to cooling reactors 1, 2, and 3 with seawater, including dropping several loads of water from a helicopter, insufficient though to successfully reduce the reactor's core temperature.
Due next for a connection is reactor 3, which suffered a previous explosion of its own and which is fueled by a more hazardous combination of uranium and plutonium oxide.
Tepco had been trying to connect the power line yesterday, but radiation risks postponed the work.
The new power line means that they will most likely be able to cool down the core of the reactor before it melts. Tepco already had resorted to cooling reactors 1, 2, and 3 with seawater, including dropping several loads of water from a helicopter, insufficient though to successfully reduce the reactor's core temperature.
Due next for a connection is reactor 3, which suffered a previous explosion of its own and which is fueled by a more hazardous combination of uranium and plutonium oxide.
Japan: Next 48 hours are crucial at Fukushima
The radiation level at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan is "extremely high". The warning was released by the chief of the American Nuclear Regulating Commission. The Institute for Nuclear Safety, France, announced that the next 48 hours will be crucial in Fukushima. Last night the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency admitted that the situation at the nuclear power is "very serious".
U.S. warning is especially important when it comes from the most important agencies inthe nuclear field.
"We are halfway between a disaster and an even greater disaster. During the next hours catastrophic developments could happen and there is a real danger to the health and life of the island's inhabitants" said a European Energy Commissioner.
The IAEA Director stated that the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant situation is very serious. The interior of the three reactors was damaged and currently it is not known exactly what the situation is inside the reactors.
Meanwhile, the Fukushima response teams are struggling to drop the core temperature of the reactors. Two military helicopters have dropped tons of seawater over reactor 3, damaged by an explosion on Monday night. Helicopters have made four drops of about 100 needed, but the radiation level remained unchanged. Yesterday operation failed due to strong winds.
Faced with the threat of a major nuclear accident, most embassies have advised their citizens to depart from the area towards the south, in the Osaka region, or leave Japan altogether. The U.S. Embassy has established a risk zone at 80 km around the plant.
U.S. warning is especially important when it comes from the most important agencies inthe nuclear field.
"We are halfway between a disaster and an even greater disaster. During the next hours catastrophic developments could happen and there is a real danger to the health and life of the island's inhabitants" said a European Energy Commissioner.
The IAEA Director stated that the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant situation is very serious. The interior of the three reactors was damaged and currently it is not known exactly what the situation is inside the reactors.
Meanwhile, the Fukushima response teams are struggling to drop the core temperature of the reactors. Two military helicopters have dropped tons of seawater over reactor 3, damaged by an explosion on Monday night. Helicopters have made four drops of about 100 needed, but the radiation level remained unchanged. Yesterday operation failed due to strong winds.
Faced with the threat of a major nuclear accident, most embassies have advised their citizens to depart from the area towards the south, in the Osaka region, or leave Japan altogether. The U.S. Embassy has established a risk zone at 80 km around the plant.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Japan's nuclear crisis - The situation is still deteriorating
The fire at the reactor 4 is "apparently out", they announced on Tuesday several Japanese publications. "The fire which occurred on the fourth floor of the reactor 4 is apparently off, " said agency Jiji.
IAEA stated that there were places whre the radioactivity was up to 400 milisievert per hour. Medical observations show that starting from a level of 100 milisievert/h the cancer risk is increasing dramatically in the human body.
As the situation develops, people are starting to compare the potential of this crisis with the 1986 Chernobyl explosion. The author William Tucker said "This is not going to be a Chernobyl... The Soviets didn't have a containment structure on top of their reactor."
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant does. It has a massive structure of concrete and steel sitting on top of its reactors. But given the fact that the emergency cooling system failed due to the tsunami, the authorities are now trying other ways of containing the situation, like pumping seawater to cool the fuel rods and even using a helicopter to attack the problem directly from above.
The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, has tried to keep the population calm, saying that serious radioactive leaks can be averted. But given the company's track record, we can't help but question their candidness.
"The history of Japan's nuclear industry and the government, that is very closely tied with the industry, is less than glorious in regards to public information and full disclosure, and what is going on now is actually an illustration of that," says Arjun Mahkhijani, president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.
In 2002, TEPCO's president and some executives resigned after it was revealed that they have falsified the repair and inspection records. "It was discovered that TEPCO had covered up incidents of cracking in an important piece of equipment with the reactors' vessels of all its reactors, and as a result, they were forced to close down all 17 reactors," says Philip White of the Citizens Nuclear Information Center.
Then, in 2007, after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake, TEPCO told the public the plant had only suffered a minor fire and leak of radioactive water. It was later revealed that the fire had burned for a few hours and hundreds of gallons of radioactive water had leaked into the sea.
For the moment though, the situation at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has not reached a critical level, but the events are still unfolding.
We'll just have to keep an eye on these developments. So follow the news!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Germany closes 7 nuclear reactors
Germany will close all seven nuclear reactors that had gone into operation before 1980, and it is currently unclear whether they will be restarted, writes Reuters.
The announcement was made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel after the several explosions in the last few days in Fukushima at one of the largest nuclear plants in Japan, following a 9-degree earthquake that devastated the country. "Nuclear power stations that have started before 1980 will be stopped during the moratorium" said the German Chancellor on Tuesday.
The announcement was made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel after the several explosions in the last few days in Fukushima at one of the largest nuclear plants in Japan, following a 9-degree earthquake that devastated the country. "Nuclear power stations that have started before 1980 will be stopped during the moratorium" said the German Chancellor on Tuesday.
The Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said that it is not yet clear whether the plants closed during the moratorium will ever be restarted.
Merkel announced on Monday a three-month provisional mortarium life extension of nuclear plants, while the nuclear accident in Japan has exacerbated the traditional hostility of the German population against atomic energy.
As promised in the campaign of 2009, the Chancellor decided to extend the 12 years average lifetime of the reactors, while environmentalists allied with the Social Democrats have scheduled a decade ago a gradual stop in 2020.
According to the European Nuclear Society, there were 17 active nuclear plants in Germany (as of the end of last year) with an electricity production of 21,500 MW and an annual quantity of electricity delivered of about 150 billion kW.
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