France's CRIIRAD Report Critical of Japanese Government Response to Radiation Contamination

The French non-profit organization Commission de Recherche et d'Information Indépendantes sur la Radioactivité, or CRIIRAD, visited Japan from May 24 to June 3 to collect information on the Fukushima I Nuke Plant accident and radiation contamination as the result of the accident. The CRIIRAD issued a short, preliminary report on the findings.

Unlike the team from the IAEA who was in Japan approximately the same time meeting government officials and nuclear industry executives, the CRIIRAD seems to have come to a very different conclusion regarding the Japanese government's response to the crisis.

From the report in English (emphasis is mine):

.......

The major preliminary findings of this research have been already presented at various public events organized in Fukushima city (Lecture on May 29th, press conference on May 30th ) and Tokyo (Press conferences on May 31st and June 1st, Audience at the Congress on June 1st, lecture and workshop on radiation monitoring on June 2nd). These findings and statements aresummarized below.

A more complete scientific report will be made available in the forthcoming weeks following analysis of soil and food samples returned to the CRIIRAD laboratory.

1 / Lack of appropriate information and protection against harmful effects of radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accidents

Since March 12th, the damaged Fukushima Daiichi reactors and pools containing spent fuel have released huge amounts of radioactive substances in both the atmosphere and the ocean. According to official data, the most important radioactive releases in the atmosphere occurred between March 12Th and March 30th .

The Japanese government requested the evacuation of the inhabitants within a 20-km radius and indoor confinement for people living within a 20 to 30-km radius. But these countermeasures have revealed to be largely insufficient :

1. The people living outside the 20-km radius should have been evacuated according to wind direction and meteorological conditions. Winds and radioactive particles do not abide by administrative policies.

2. Confinement is efficient only in case of minor doses when the contamination of the air lasts over a short period of time. In the case of Fukushima Daiichi, the radioactive releases in the atmosphere persisted over several days (and are still occurring, though on a much lower level). Under such circumstances, confinement is not efficient due to the exchange rate between outside and inside air. The air inside the buildings will be contaminated at a level comparable to the outside air quality.

3. Stable iodine tablets are useful to reduce the absorption of radioactive iodine and therefore limit the risks of thyroid cancer particularly among young children. This risk is well-known since the Chernobyl accident. In order to be fully effective, iodine tablets must be ingested several hours before contamination occurs. In Japan, iodine tablets were not distributed proficiently. Testimonies collated during the CRIIRAD’s mission in Japan indicate that several local authorities, at municipal levels, opted to distribute iodine pills, as in the case of the city of Miaru [Miharu-machi] where the Mayor decided to distribute pills to his inhabitants on March 15th requiring them to actually ingest them. This initiative has been criticized by the Fukushima prefecture authorities. In Iwaki, a civic administrator was ready to organize the distribution of iodine tablets since March 12th. While the municipality was able to distribute the iodine tablets to the citizens on March 18th, people have been told not to take the pills unless expressly ordered to do so by the authorities...the instruction to ingest the pills was not issued. Other highly exposed inhabitants (like those living in Iitate) have not been issued any iodine tablets.

4. In case of radioactive releases in the atmosphere, the fallout on the ground will rapidly contaminate the food chain, in particular leafy vegetables and milk. The Japanese authorities decided to launch a special monitoring program only as of March 18Th. The first results revealed a massive contamination on several food samples. As an example, spinach sampled in Ibaraki prefecture on March 18th confirmed a contamination of 54 000 Bq/kg with iodine 131. The CRIIRAD calculated that for a child aged between 2 to 7 years old, the consumption of 200 grams of spinach delivers a dose exceeding the annual dose limit of 1 milliSievert. Additional results published later showed that iodine 131 contamination found in grass collected in Iitate about 40 km north-west of Fukushima Daiichi reached 2.5 million Bq/kg. The contamination of vegetables in the area has certainly been very high. It should be noted that for a child aged 2 to 7 years old, the mere consumption of 5 grams of such foods will deliver a dose exceeding 1 milliSievert. The authorities should have advised people, without delay on March 12TH , not to consume foods most at risk in areas where the radioactive fallouts were detected by gamma air dose monitors (this includes locations such as Onagawa, 100 km north of Fukushima, and Tokyo about 230 km south of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant). Conversely, the Japanese authorities claimed that consuming such contaminated foods was the same as receiving a dose from a scanner.

........

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CNN Has the Most Details in "Radioactive Iodine, Cesium Found in Urine Samples of 15 Fukushima Residents" News

For reference, the information contained in the Kyodo News Japanese reporting the same news (final version) is highlighted in blue (not in the exact words but content).

From CNN (6/27/2011):

(CNN) -- Japanese researchers have found radiation in all 15 people tested last month from the area near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Cesium was found in the participants, ranging from 4 to 77 years old, through two rounds of testing conducted by Nanao Kamada at the Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine of Hiroshima University.

Kamada insisted that the cesium numbers are minute and do not represent a health threat.

The people tested lived in the towns of Iitate and Kawamata, located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the nuclear plant.

The participants were also tested for radioactive iodine, which was found in the urine of six Fukushima prefecture residents.

The urine samples from a 77-year-old man in the first round of tests indicated radioactivity as high as 3.2 millisieverts. However, no iodine was found from the urine of the same man in the second round of tests, ruling out the possibility of air contamination.

"The cause might be that they ate contaminated vegetables and mushrooms before the restrictions, not by inhaling contaminated air," Kamada said, referring to a large scale restriction on Fukushima produce following the incident at the plants on March 11.

The data indicated that accumulated external exposure was between 4.9 and 13.5 millisieverts for the two months after the accident -- a number which could exceed the government limit of 20 millisieverts per year if they continue living in the area.

"From the perspective of protecting human health from radiation, it is clear that they unfortunately cannot continue to live in their homes," Kamada said. About 7,500 people were evacuated from the communities by the end of May, although some folks continue to live in Iitate.

The first test was conducted May 5, while the second was conducted at the end of the month. The results were announced to the residents June 19.

Kyodo added extra (in red, below) which is not in CNN, and which, it turns out, the doctor never said:

"If they do not eat contaminated vegetables from now on, there is no need to worry. But they cannot continue to live in their homes if the Fukushima I Nuke Plant accident doesn't wind down," Kamada said, indicating agreement with the national government's policy that designated the area as "planned evacuation zone".

Kyodo News never mentioned radioactive iodine, never mentioned external exposure. It did mention the age of the subjects (4 to 77), radiation of about 3 millisieverts and the dates of the tests in the earlier version of the news, but deleted the information in the final version. In the earlier version, there was no mention of Professor Kamada agreeing with the national government policy or commenting on the Fukushima plant.

Of course, CNN in turn could be making up the stories...

(h/t doitsujin for CNN link)

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Rejoice! Mito City Board of Education Declares Swimming Classes Are Safe at City's Schools

Sometimes, it makes one wonder why he/she should care about people in Japan, and I had one such moment when I read this article by Tokyo Shinbun.

Schools in Mito City in Ibaraki Prefecture, just south of Fukushima Prefecture, have started PE classes using swimming pools.

From Tokyo Shinbun (6/29/2011):

　水戸市教育委員会は二十七日、プールがある三十二の小学校、十三の中学校で水質検査を実施した。プールの水は水道水で、放射性物質は検出されなかった。安全性が裏づけられたのを受け、同市教委は水泳授業を始めてもよいとの通達を同日中に出した。

The Board of Education in Mito City [in Ibaraki Prefecture] measured the radiation in swimming pool water at 32 elementary schools and 13 junior high schools in the city on June 27. The water was from tap water, and there was no radioactive materials detected. Safety of the water thus assured, the city's Board of Education issued the notice the same day that the schools may start the swimming classes.

　二十八日は、二十二の小学校、三の中学校で水泳授業がスタートした。笠原小では新たに購入した高圧洗浄機で念入りにプール内やプールサイドを洗い 流すなどして、今月上旬から準備を進めていた。気温三〇度近い晴天の下、プールに飛び込んだ同小六年の竹内康君（１２）は「すごく気持ちいい。水泳をした かったのでよかった」と笑顔だった。

On June 28, 22 elementary schools and 3 junior high schools started the swimming classes. In one of the elementary schools, they've been preparing for the pool opening by washing the pool and the poolsides with a high pressure washer since the beginning of this month. A 6-grader boy was all smiles, after diving in the water on a hot, sunny day, "It feels great. I've been wanting to swim, so this is great."

　同市教委によると、安全性が確認されても保護者から「プールに入れたくない」との声が出ているという。授業を辞退する申し出があったら認めるとしており、既に数校から報告が入っている。

According to the city's Board of Education, there are some parents who don't want their children to use the swimming pools even after the safety has been confirmed. If parents don't want swimming classes for their children they can submit the requests to the schools, and the Board will accept such requests. There are already several schools with parents requesting that their children do not participate.

　県教委によると、県内四十四の自治体のうち、四十二の市町村が水泳授業を既に行っているか、近日中に始める。日立市は国から安全基準が示されるのを待っている状況で、北茨城市は中止を決めている。

According to the Ibaraki prefectural Board of Education, 42 municipalities out of 44 in Ibaraki have already started the swimming classes or are about to start. Hitachi City is waiting for the national standard to be set for swimming pools, and Kita Ibaraki City has decided not to hold swimming classes.

Good for Kita Ibaraki City.

The key is this: by default, swimming classes are on, for everyone. The parents have to submit a request to not have their children participate in the swimming classes.

"Yes, you can refuse to participate in the swimming classes. Now, DO YOU REFUSE?"

Or "Yes, you can refuse to participate. Your child's grade in PE will be 1, lowest grade, because without participation we have no way of grading him/her."

Or both. Sadly. That's Japan, and very a regimented educational system under the Ministry of Education and Science, with prefectural and municipal Board of Education as the Ministry's extension, even in this unprecedented nuclear accident that has spread a large amount of radioactive materials all over the northern hemisphere and even some in the southern hemisphere.

School schedules and events must be maintained at all costs.

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Contaminated Water at #Fukushima Increased to Over 120,000 Tonnes

121,000 tonnes of highly contaminated water alone as of June 29, according to TEPCO, an increase of about 16,000 tonnes since the end of May.

From Asahi Shinbun (1:07AM JST 6/30/2011):

東京電力は２９日、福島第一原子力発電所１～４号機などにたまった高濃度の放射能汚染水が２８日現在で約１２万１千トンに上ると発表した。５月末時 点から１万６千トン増えた。内訳は１～４号機の原子炉建屋やタービン建屋などに計約９万９４４０トン、汚染水を一時保管している集中廃棄物処理施設に計約 ２万１７３０トン。

TEPCO announced on June 29 that the highly contaminated water in the buildings of Reactors 1 through 4 was about 121,000 tonnes as of June 28. It is an increase of 16,000 tonnes since the end of May. There are 99,440 tonnes of water in the reactor buildings and turbine buildings of the Reactors 1 through 4, and 21,730 tonnes in the Central Waste Processing Facility that temporarily stores the highly contaminated water.

　東電は浄化処理を続けることによって、６月２９日からの１週間で汚染水を現状から３千トン減らせるとしている。ただし、浄化処理施設の稼働率８０％が前提。１７日から２８日までの実績は約５５％で、処理量は約７２３０トンだった。

TEPCO thinks it will be able to reduce the amount of the water by 3,000 tonnes in one week starting June 29. However, that schedule assumes the water treatment system to run at the operating rate of 80%. From June 17 to 28, the system ran at about 55%, processing 7,230 tonnes of water.

By the way, the water treatment system is stopped again, for yet another unknown reason. On June 29 alone, the system had to be stopped at least twice for water leakage in different parts of the system before the alarm that sounded in the evening shut down the entire system again. TEPCO is investigating.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Radioactive Tellurium Detected in Seawater at Water Intake

Radioactive tellurium was detected for the first time in the seawater at the water intake canal for the Reactor 1, but TEPCO thinks it's just a mix-up for some unknown reason, according to Yomiuri Shinbun (6/29/2011).

So I went to look for the original data at TEPCO.

It turns out that tellurium-129m (half-life 34 days) was found near the water intake canal for the Reactor 1, AND tellurium-129 (half-life 70 minutes) was found near the water intake canal for the Reactor 4. Tellurium-129 was also found in deep-sea water 8 kilometers off the coast of Fukushima.

Some kind of a mix-up.

TEPCO dumped 143 pages of "confirmed" data (no English yet) on types of nuclides and density found at and around Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant in air and water on June 29. The company releases many of the data everyday or at a regular interval but the nuclides announced daily are iodine-131, cesium-134 and -137 only. For other nuclides, after being excoriated by NISA in early days of the crisis, they've stopped releasing the data until "confirmed".

It was on page 74, as part of the "confirmed" results of the seawater samples taken on June 4:

Te-129m (half-life 34 days): 720 becquerels/liter, outside the silt fence in front of the Reactor 1 water intake canal.

The legal safety limit for the exhaust water from a nuclear power plant is 300 becquerels/liter.

Then, on page 99 for the test results for the samples taken on June 12:

Te-129 (half-life 70 minutes): 230 becquerels/liter, outside the silt fence in front of the Reactor 4 water intake canal.

Te-129 was also found in the deep seawater 8 kilometers off the coast of Minami-Soma City and Onahama on June 7 (pages 27, 28) and June 9 (page 39) separately.

No data on this file on radioactive strontium (89 and 90), which is reported separately. No word ever on plutonium in any water or ocean soil.

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Wildfire Approaches Thousands of Drums with Plutonium-Contaminated Waste at Los Alamos Lab

At least they are not saying "they are safe".

From AP:

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. (AP) — A wildfire near the desert birthplace of the atomic bomb advanced on the Los Alamos laboratory and thousands of outdoor drums of plutonium-contaminated waste Tuesday as authorities stepped up efforts to protect the site and monitor the air for radiation.

Officials at the nation's premier nuclear-weapons lab gave assurances that dangerous materials were safely stored and capable of withstanding flames from the 95-square-mile fire, which at one point was as close as 50 feet from the grounds.

A small patch of land at the laboratory caught fire Monday before firefighters quickly put it out. Teams were on alert to pounce on any new blazes and spent the day removing brush and low-hanging tree limbs from the lab's perimeter.

"We are throwing absolutely everything at this that we got," Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico said in Los Alamos.

The fire has forced the evacuation of the entire city of Los Alamos, population 11,000, cast giant plumes of smoke over the region and raised fears among nuclear watchdogs that it will reach as many as 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste.

"The concern is that these drums will get so hot that they'll burst. That would put this toxic material into the plume. It's a concern for everybody," said Joni Arends, executive director of the Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, an anti-nuclear group.

Arends' organization also worried that the fire could stir up nuclear-contaminated soil on lab property where experiments were conducted years ago. Burrowing animals have brought that contamination to the surface, she said.

Lab officials said there was very little risk of the fire reaching the drums of low-level nuclear waste, since the flames would have to jump through canyons first. Officials also stood ready to coat the drums with fire-resistant foam if the blaze got too close.

Lab spokeswoman Lisa Rosendorf said the drums contain Cold War-era waste that the lab sends away in weekly shipments for storage. She said the drums were on a paved area with few trees nearby. As of midday Tuesday, the flames were about two miles from the material.

"These drums are designed to a safety standard that would withstand a wildland fire worse than this one," Rosendorf said.

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NISA Removes Hidehiko Nishiyama from His Spokesman Job

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has removed Hidehiko Nishiyama from his position as the spokesman for the agency on June 29 and sent him packing back to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), because his love affair with a young woman (almost his daughter's age) has become a distraction, hindering the proper function of the agency. The woman also works at METI.

At the press conference on June 23, Nishiyama, 54-year-old career elite bureaucrat (Tokyo University Law School - Harvard Law School) married with 2 adult children (the daughter works for TEPCO, I don't know about the son), expressed regret that his private life was revealed in a major weekly magazine Shukan Shincho, but denied that he would resign his post as the NISA's spokesman.

He has been the familiar face of the Fukushima I Nuke Plant Accident, ever since he became the third NISA spokesman on March 13. The first spokesman was quickly removed from the job after he said during the March 12 press conference that the fuel inside the Reactor 1 was probably melted. The second spokesman was also quickly removed when he said on the March 13 morning press conference, "I don't want to do this but I was told to do it so here I am."

Well, Nishiyama is gone now. His successor is Yoshinori Moriyama.

Ah, the end of an era.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Some Kind of Fissioning Still Somewhere?

Radioactive iodine (I-131) inside the silt fence at the water intake canal for the Reactor 2 continues to be detected, although the amount is nothing like what it used to be back in April.

From TEPCO's press releases, the amount of iodine-131 inside the silt fence at the water intake canal for the Reactor 2, in becquerels/liter

6/22: 310
6/23: 1,000
6/24: 180
6/25: 1,300
6/26: 1,600
6/27: 1,200

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Fort Calhoun Nuke Plant: Borated Water in Reactor, Spent Fuel Pool, Normal Procedure, Says Plant CEO

Bits and pieces about the Fort Calhoun Nuke Plant in Nebraska:

• They are using boric acid in the reactor and the spent fuel pool (CNN);

• The "waterproof" turns out to be "aqua dams" and levees in front of the buildings that house key systems (CNN);

• Spent fuel dry casks are outside the flood protected area "because they are sealed and bolted down" (Iowa Independent);

• 2/3 of the active fuel rods are still inside the reactor ("baseless rumor" floating in cyberspace).

On CNN interview, the CEO of the plant says he and his people are battling "blowing in the wind" rumors like the Japanese government over Fukushima I Nuke Plant and radiation contamination. But if you look at the accompanying video, it makes you wonder: why weren't they better prepared, if this flooding was totally expected and it is business as usual, as the CEO tries to tell us?

(By the way, I don't think this video is what CNN intended to upload. The only intended part seems to be the brief interview with the CEO. The rest of the video shows punctured aqua dam, pumping of water from behind the sandbags, not very assuring.)

From CNN (6/28/2011):

Fort Calhoun, Nebraska (CNN) -- Tim Nellenbach is on a mission as he shows a small group of journalists around his workplace. The manager of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant and his colleagues are bent on dispelling rumors about the condition of their facility: rumors about a meltdown, about a loss of power. The rumors are patently false, they say, and it's frustrating to have to deal with them while also battling a genuine crisis.

These officials are also acutely aware of comparisons to the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March, which crippled a nuclear power plant there, leading to the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.

"There's no likelihood of a Fukushima-like incident here," Nellenbach says.

So does Gary Gates, CEO of the Fort Calhoun plant.

"It is not another Fukushima. The difference is the rapid flooding that occurred at Fukushima. This was a predicted event, to a degree, from the Corps of Engineers. The floodwaters at Fort Calhoun are outside the plant. There is no water inside the plant. The reactor is covered with borated water. The spent fuel is covered with borated water, which we want it to be. That's intentional. That's where it should be. The floodwaters are outside Fort Calhoun, not inside," Gates explains.

Still, there is a genuine crisis at the plant. Floodwaters from the swollen Missouri River have engulfed this facility. The parking lots are underwater. The river's fast-paced currents are swirling against several buildings in this compound. Catwalks had to be constructed to allow workers to move from one building to the next. The buildings housing the reactor core, the spent fuel rods and other crucial components are protected by small levees and aqua-berms. But outside those barriers, the water is at least 2 feet above ground level.

The Fort Calhoun plant has 40-foot deep spent fuel pool underground, as well as the above-ground dry cask storage. (Information from wiki)

The Iowa Independent reported on June 24 that the dry casks storage facility is not protected from the flood, because the dry casks are bolted down and secure.

As for the baseless rumor that the 2/3 of the nuclear fuel rods are still inside the reactor, I'd say that was true after all, if they are putting boric acid in the cooling water.

The NRC chairman Jacko, who toured the site on Monday, had these discomforting words to say, according to CNN's article:

"In the end," Jaczko said, "this challenge is yours."

That's eerily reminiscent of the Japanese regulators who have been basically saying this to TEPCO for over 3 months.

I also seem to remember it took TEPCO some time till it finally admitted that the Reactors 5 and 6 were fully loaded with nuclear fuel rods when the earthquake and tsunami hit at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, even though they were still in the scheduled maintenance.

I also remember those official and unofficial "debunkers" going after journalists and bloggers who spread "rumors" in the early days of the Fukushima accident.

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Keeping Up the Appearance: TEPCO's Water Circulation System to Cool the Reactors

The system, as currently set up, is actually increasing the amount of highly contaminated water by 72 tonnes per day, because TEPCO is mixing in the fresh water.

This is the system diagram from TEPCO on June 28 press conference. It appears that the contaminated water is fed from the subdrain outside the Reactor 2 turbine building and from the Reactor 3 turbine building. Nothing from the Reactor 1. The treated water is combined with fresh water before it gets fed to the reactors. Water flow is being adjusted by the numerous valves (lower right of the diagram):

On a separate PDF file, there is an even more convoluted diagram of the contaminated water treatment system by Toshiba-Kurion-AREVA-Hitachi. By switching the valve, they can process the water in AREVA's system first, and then in Kurion's. Considering the frequent downtime of Kurion's system (vessels need to be changed often and flushed often), maybe that's a good idea.

This how it is all laid out physically, including PVC pipes connected to 4 kilometers long.


There are two more diagrams of the system. You can view all 4 diagrams in this file here.

Not so good news is hidden in one of the diagrams (page 3 of the above file) that says "Flow Rate of Treated Water Injected to Reactors: 13 cubic meters/hour".

The current total amount of water being fed to the reactors is 16 cubic meters/hour. They are using fresh (filtered) water in the amount of 3 cubic meters/hour.

So, at least for now, they are still ADDING the contaminated water by 72 cubic meters, or 72 tonnes, per day.

Well, that's infinitely better than adding 400 to 500 tonnes of it every day, like they have been doing for the past 3 months or so.

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#Radiation in Japan: Government to Use SPEEDI for Radiation Exposure Survey for Fukushima Residents

The Japanese government, who hid and hid the SPEEDI simulation data that mostly correctly predicted the radioactive material dispersion in the early, crucial days of the accident (March 11 to about March 25, first 2 weeks) and as the result exposed tens of millions to external and now internal radiation that might have been avoided, now says they will use the SPEEDI to figure out the amount of external radiation for the residents in Fukushima Prefecture.

Are the Fukushima residents supposed to be grateful for that?

What about the rest of Tohoku and Kanto, where the high-radiation "hot spots" have been cropping up all over the place?

More than 3 months into the accident and with ever-accumulating radiation in people, many public and private institutions from the national government on down is eager to test the radiation levels. Yes, now let's collect the world-class data! (Sorry for being cynical.)

From Yomiuri Shinbun (11:29PM JST 6/28/2011):

政府の原子力災害対策本部は２８日、東京電力福島第一原子力発電所の事故による福島県民の被曝ひばく調査に、放射性物質の拡散予測を行う国のシステム「ＳＰＥＥＤＩ（スピーディ）」を利用すると発表した。

The Japanese government's headquarters for the nuclear disaster countermeasures announced on June 28 that the SPEEDI system will be used for the survey of the Fukushima residents to determine the radiation exposure after the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident. The SPEEDI system is designed to forecast the dispersion of the radioactive materials.

　事故初期の３月１２日から１６日までの空間線量率を計算し、外部被曝の調査に役立てる。

The government will use SPEEDI to calculate the air radiation levels from March 12 to March 16 to help determine the external radiation exposure for the residents.

　福島第一原発事故では、東日本大震災の影響で放射性物質の計測機器の多くが作動せず、３月１７日に移動式機器などで計測を再開するまで空間線量率が不明だった。

Many radiation monitoring stations did not work after the March 11 earthquake, and the air radiation levels were not known until March 17 when the portable monitoring stations were used to measure radiation.

　スピーディで放射性物質の放出量などを計算して、１時間ごとの放射線量地図を作成し、県民の行動範囲と照合して個人の外部被曝量を計算する。

The government will use SPEEDI to calculate the amount of radioactive materials released and create the hourly radiation contour maps, then calculate the personal external radiation level for each resident by figuring out where he/she was during that period.

　地図の作成・公表に約２週間、被曝量の算定に１か月程度を見込んでいる。

The government thinks it will take about 2 weeks to create and publish the maps, and one month to calculate the individual radiation levels.

The Japanese taxpayers footed the bill for this costly system so that it could predict the radioactive material dispersion in case of a nuclear accident AND warn them in advance. Having failed miserably in that task (thanks to the government who supposedly feared panic and/or couldn't release the simulations because they were just, well, simulations), now it will be used to tell people how much radiation they have been exposed, after the fact.

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TEPCO's Shareholders' Meeting Finally Over after 6 Hours

From the tweet of the journalist at the event:

During the Q&A session, an irate shareholder shouted at the TEPCO's management, "Go inside the reactor and die!"

A great commotion inside the hall ensued, and a snicker in the TEPCO's press room.

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#Radiation in Japan: Radioactive Cesium from Ashes from Household Garbage at Waste Disposal Plant in Edogawa-Ku, Tokyo

Not a water purification plant or at a waste water treatment plant, but a plant that burns regular, household garbage in eastern Tokyo was found with a high level of radioactive cesium in the fly ashes caught in the incinerator filter.

Edogawa-ku is located at the eastern end of Tokyo. Along with its northern neighbor Katsushika-ku, Edogawa-ku seems to have been in denial of the elevated radiation levels throughout the ward, and has only recently (June 18) started to measure the radiation at multiple locations within the ward.

The Edogawa waste disposal plant is located by the Edogawa River that separates Edogawa-ku and Chiba Prefecture. The plant can burn 600 tonnes of garbage per day with 24-hour operation, with 2 incinerators. It's in a mixed residential/commercial neighborhood, with 2 elementary schools nearby, and a nursery school right next to the plant, according to the Google Map.

From Sankei Shinbun (6/27/2011):

東京都と東京２３区清掃一部事務組合は２７日、一般家庭ゴミなどを処理する２３区内の清掃工場のうち、江戸川清掃工場で発生した焼却灰から、１キロ グラムあたり８千ベクレルを超える放射性セシウムが検出されたと発表した。同組合によると、灰はフィルターで集められ、運搬時などは密閉しているほか、施 設周辺の空間放射線量の測定結果からも、外部環境への影響はないとみている。

The Tokyo Metropolitan government and the "Clean Association Tokyo 23" (organization of waste disposal facilities in Tokyo's 23 "ku" or wards) announced on June 27 that radioactive cesium in excess of 8,000 becquerels/kilogram was detected from the fine ashes from the waste disposal plant in Edogawa-ku. The plant burns regular garbage collected from households in Edogawa-ku. According to the Association, the ashes are collected by the filter, and the filter is in a sealed container during transport. The air radiation levels have been measured around the plant, and there appears to be no effect on the environment.

　都などによると、一般廃棄物の焼却灰の放射線量を測定したのは福島県をのぞく自治体では初めてとみられる。

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan government, it was the first time that any municipal government measured the ashes from the regular waste disposal.

.............

　 　清掃工場から発生する灰には、焼却後に焼却炉の中にたまる「主灰」と、焼却時にフィルターなどに集められる「飛灰」がある。

There are two types of ashes as the result of incineration at the waste disposal plants: "main ashes" that collect inside the incinerator, and "fly ashes" that are collected by the filter.

　今回、１キログラムあたり８千ベクレルを超える放射性セシウムが検出されたのは江戸川清掃工場の飛灰で、９７４０ベクレル。同工場の主灰や、ほかの清掃工場の飛灰、主灰は８千ベクレルを下回った。

Rradioactive cesium of over 8,000 becquerels/kilogram was detected from the fly ashes produced at the Edogawa Waste Disposal Plant. Cesium from the main ashes from the plant, or the fly ashes and main ashes from the other waste disposal plants was less than 8,000 becquerels/kilogram.

　このため、江戸川清掃工場の飛灰は当面、工場内の放射能を遮れる施設で一時保管される。それ以外の灰については、最終処分場に埋め立てるという。

The fly ashes at the Edogawa plant will be stored temporarily at a facility at the plant that can shield radiation. The main ashes will be buried in the final waste processing facility.

　都では、今後も灰を継続して調査するとともに、多摩地域の市町村にも調査を要請する。

The Tokyo Metropolitan government will continue the survey of the ashes, and will ask municipalities in Tama region [western part of Tokyo] to conduct the survey.

There is no safety standard for radioactive materials in wastes OUTSIDE Fukushima Prefecture. So, the Tokyo Metropolitan government is using the standard that the national government has set for Fukushima Prefecture, and it will bury the main ashes and fly ashes as long as the radioactive materials detected are less than 8,000 becquerels per kilogram.

Now, here's the actual survey result, dated June 27. The amount of cesium detected from the fly ashes at the Edogawa plant is 9,740 becquerels/kilogram.

Other high but below 8000 numbers (page 3):

• Katsushika: 6,610 becquerels/kg

• Ota: 6,030 becquerels/kg

• Koto: 4,850 becquerels/kg

• Meguro: 4,180 becquerels/kg

Looking at the numbers for the air radiation in the surrounding areas (page 5), contrary to what Sankei reports, the areas do seem to have elevated levels of air radiation.

For the Edogawa Plant, the air radiation level inside the plant is between 0.07 to 0.16 microsievert/hour. Outside the plant, the level is much higher, between 0.21 to 0.24 microsievert/hour.

As I said above, a nursery school is right next to the plant, and there are 2 elementary schools nearby.

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down...

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TEPCO's Annual Shareholders Meeting Still Ongoing, Over 3 Hours

It will be the record, longest shareholders' meeting ever for TEPCO.

From the tweets from independent journalists and mainstream journalists attending the event, there are about 9200 shareholders attending, overflowing into the hallway.

Shareholders asking too many questions, and Chairman Katsumata is getting impatient, and will take only one more question.

They've been at this without a break, without a lunch.

TEPCO management and directors and large institutional shareholders will bulldoze any motion to their liking and close the meeting, like they've done every single year. The only difference is that they are forced to do so with journalists tweeting near real-time and twitter followers aghast at the arrogance of the management and large shareholders and re-tweeting by hundreds.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: New and Improved Reactor Cooling System Using Treated Water Shuts Down After 1.5 Hour of Operation

Yes, yes it is a big system, which should have been carefully prepared and tested for at least one or two years and they did it in 2 months.

A leak was found on a joint of PVC pipes that transport the treated water.

In earlier Yomiuri article, 4 kilometer long PVC pipes feed the treated water to the reactors, and TEPCO people were worried about the leak all along.

I guess they were too preoccupied with Kurion's zeolite vessels (which require frequent change and system downtime) and didn't have time to test the 4 kilometer long network of PVC pipes.

From Yomiuri Shinbun (1:31AM JST 6/28/2011):

東京電力は２７日午後４時２０分、福島第一原子力発電所の原子炉から漏れ出した高濃度汚染水を浄化し、冷却水として再利用する「循環注水冷却」を開始した。

TEPCO started the cooling of the reactors using the water treated by the contaminated water treatment system at 4:20PM JST on June 27.

　しかし、注水用配管の継ぎ目に水漏れが見つかり、約１時間半後に原子炉への注水を停止した。２８日早朝から原因調査と対策を進める。

However, a water leak from the pipe joint of a water feeding pipe was discovered, and the water injection into the reactors were stopped after one and a half hour. TEPCO will investigate in the morning of June 28.

　東電によると、建屋地下などにたまった汚染水を浄化する処理システムは、稼働を続けている。原子炉への注水は、従来のタンクからの配管に切り替えて継続しており、問題ないという。

According to TEPCO, the contaminated water treatment system itself continues to operate. Cooling of the reactors is unaffected, as they are using the water from the storage tanks as before.

　水漏れがあった配管はポリ塩化ビニール製で直径が約１０センチ。原子炉への注水ポンプに真水を送る配管で、流量調整に向かった作業員が漏出を見つけた。東電は、漏れた水は処理済みのため、作業への影響はないとしている。

A leak was found on a 10-centimeter diameter PVC pipe. It is a pipe that feeds fresh water to the pump that pumps water into the reactors. A worker who went to adjust the flow rate found the leak. TEPCO says the leaked water was treated, and there is no effect on the work at the plant.

To clarify, this "fresh water" was made "fresh" by going through the 4-step contaminated water treatment system.

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Fort Calhoun Nuke Plant: Flood Water Has "Seeped" into the Turbine Building But "Everything's Under Control"

I guess it all depends on the definition of the word "seep".

And all the buildings at the plant were supposed to be "watertight", according to the NRC.

From AP (6/27/2011):

Floodwater seeps into Nebraska nuke plant building

OMAHA (AP) -- Missouri River floodwater seeped into the turbine building at a nuclear power plant near Omaha on Monday, but plant officials said the seepage was expected and posed no safety risk because the building contains no nuclear material.

An 8-foot-tall, water-filled temporary berm protecting the plant collapsed early Sunday. Vendor workers were at the plant Monday to determine whether the 2,000 foot berm can be repaired.

Omaha Public Power District spokesman Jeff Hanson said pumps were handling the problem at the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station and that "everything is secure and safe." The plant, about 20 miles north of Omaha, has been closed for refueling since April. Hanson said the berm's collapse didn't affect the shutdown or the spent fuel pool cooling.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Victor Dricks described the situation as stable. NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko plans to inspect the Fort Calhoun plant on Monday as part of a pre-arranged visit to Nebraska.

(The article continues.)

Doesn't it all sound familiar for people who have been following Fukushima?

Hypothetical progression of the minor "incident" at Fort Calhoun, after the established Fukushima model:

"Everything under control, buildings are watertight."
"Well, there was some "seepage" in the turbine building, but everything is secure and safe. It's all part of the plan."
"Well, the turbine building is actually flooded, but the reactor building is secure."
"Well, there's some water puddles in the reactor building, but the Containment Vessel is secure."
"Well, ....."

In this picture of the plant (H/T Dominique), I see sandbags against some openings. Is this what they meant by "watertight"? (More photos at this link.)

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#Radiation in Japan: Government Wants to Offer Japan's Seafood to Developing Nations

As part of the ODA (Official Development Assistance) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a host of aid programs for developing nations around the world, the Japanese national government is going to buy up processed seafood [canned fish, for example?] from the earthquake-affected areas and offered them to developing nations.

It's not clear whether these seafood packages will be free or they will make the developing nations pay, even a token amount. But don't worry, says Nikkei Shinbun, they will be first tested for radiation by the WFP (UN's World Food Program).

From Kyodo News Japanese (6/26/2011):

政府開発援助（ＯＤＡ）配分など２０１１年度の国際協力重点方 針案が２６日、判明した。東日本大震災被災地の水産加工食品などを購入して途上国に提供するなど、国際社会にも「開かれた復興に資するためのＯＤＡ活用を 最優先課題とする」と明記。被災地に外国人研修員を積極的に受け入れることで風評被害防止にも取り組むとした。

The government plan for the international aid programs for the 2011 fiscal year [that started in April 1] became known on June 26, which include the Official Development Assistance (ODA). The plan states that the government will purchase the processed seafood from the areas affected by the March 11 earthquake and offer them to developing nations, and that "it will make it the utmost priority to utilize the ODA for the recovery open to the international community". Under the plan, the government will also accept more foreign "trainees" in the affected areas to counter the baseless rumors [of radiation contamination].

　政府は２７日に決定する。震災復興に巨額の経費がかかることからＯＤＡを削減すべきだとの意見が出ていることを意識し、復興への貢献を前面に打ち出した形。一部は１１年度第３次補正予算案に盛り込む考えだ。

The government will decide on the plan on June 27. There are critics who have been pushing for the reduction of the ODA budget as the recovery/reconstruction from the earthquake is likely to be very costly. In response to the critics, the government will frame the ODA as part of recovery/reconstruction. Part of the program cost will be included in the 3rd supplementary budget of the fiscal 2011.

Foreign "trainees" usually means cheap labors from developing nations. Before the earthquake/tsunami of March 11, there were many "trainees" from China working in the seafood processing plants at the ports in the Tohoku region, even as the jobs were not abundant for the locals.

A baseless rumor or ”blowing in the wind” rumor (風評）, has become the euphemism for "radiation", as you already know.

The Japanese government wants to buy up fish and other seafood from fishermen in Tohoku, package them and sell them to developing nations so that Tohoku can recover.

(That's totally in line with the Japan-US plan to create the final processing plant for used fuels in Mongolia.)

Please keep in mind that this is what the national government (and probably the prefectural governments in Tohoku) wants, and not the fishermen themselves. I'm sure some fishermen will be all for it, but others won't be, as I've read about them who simply stopped fishing when they become aware that the fish were contaminated with radioactive materials.

-------------------------------

If you want to write to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, here's the web page that you can send your message. It's on their Japanese site only:

https://www3.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/mail/qa.html

The fields from the top: Subject, Message (1000 characters), Email address, Phone number, Age, Gender (male, female), Occupation.

Required fields are Subject and Message.

Left button: Review the message

Right button: Reset

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Reactor 3's Radiation Remains High

2 Packbots from iRobot were apparently accompanied by 5 carbon-based workers and entered the Reactor 3's reactor building to take the radiation measurement on June 24.

The result was announced on June 25 by TEPCO, and the radiation level remains high. At many places it was higher than in the previous survey which was done on June 8.

This time, they either didn't take the measurements or didn't disclose the measurements near the staircase that leads to the contaminated water in the reactor building basement (southwest corner).

Comparing this map to the one they disclosed on June 9 (June 8 survey results) below, it is clear that they weren't disclosing all measurements done on June 8. Sigh. When will they ever learn?

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: T-Hawk on the Roof

Poor thing. The photo was taken on June 24 from the crane. TEPCO and some media called it an "emergency landing" on the roof of Reactor 2 building, as if the landing was controlled.

According to the tweets from a worker (Happy20790) who's been at the plant from the beginning of the accident, the strange lights that were seen in TEPCO's live cam at night were from T-Hawk operating at night. The worker also says that these T-Hawks are just too light and unstable, so they are tweaking the location of the camera to somehow balance better.

(People who know about nuclear power plants have said his tweets are credible.)

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Cooling of Reactors Using Treated Water to Start June 27 PM

(Reactors? What reactors?)

According to Yomiuri Shinbun (1:25AM JST 6/27/2011), TEPCO says the water treated by the contaminated water treatment system will be used to cool the reactors at Reactors 1, 2 and 3, starting June 27 afternoon.

TEPCO so far has 1500 tonnes of treated water. The run rate is about 500 tonnes per day, although in the past week or so they have reduced to less than 400 tonnes per day to prevent the overflow.

Just in time for their annual shareholders' meeting, which will be held on June 28.

And never mind that the corium may not be in the so-called (broken) reactors any more. "Extend and Pretend", which has worked for TEPCO and the Japanese government for the past 3 months.

The article also says that TEPCO will start the operation of the Spent Fuel Pool air cooling system for the Reactor 3 on June 30, more than 3 months ahead of the schedule outlined in the so-called "roadmap". How wonderful. More good news, just in time for the shareholders' meeting.

Maybe TEPCO's shareholders will be so pleased with the "progress" that they may be willing to approve the 100 billion yen (US$1.24 billion) underground dam construction (link goes to Mainichi English) to prevent the contaminated water from spreading underground.

The Japanese government still "extends and pretends" that the whole accident is just the matter to be resolved by a private entity (TEPCO), the stance they've taken from the very beginning.

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