Whoops – Old radium bottles blamed for Tokyo radiation – Telegraph

I had posted that the radiation was moving farther afield earlier, bu now it look like the Telegraph is reporting that the Tokyo radiation spikes were caused by old radium bottles. Wow. But I guess from a public health point of view it is good that they were found.

Radiation in Tokyo

The AFP reports that radiation of nearly evacuation levels has been found just north of Tokyo in a neighborhood belonging to the capital city.

Japanese media said researchers found radiation levels of 3.35 microsieverts per hour along a street in the west of the capital — 220 . . . → Read More: Radiation in Tokyo

Economic with the truth / Late reports of plutonium 40 km from Fukushima

The Japan online had a nice way of putting it in their Report of long-range plutonium find tardy. The speed of updating the Japanese public on the potential health hazards has struck me previously in my blog. I found this amazing in this latest post:

“Plutonium . . . → Read More: Economic with the truth / Late reports of plutonium 40 km from Fukushima

Keep the homes fires burning

Kyoto bans burning wood from Iwate prefecture for a Fire Festival because it contains radioactive Cesium.

In other reports mushrooms and fruit are having radioactive problems. The food chain in Japan is becoming seriously compromised.

 

 

Fukushima wheat: throw current harvet away, but OK to plant again

My humble opinion: One of the consequences of the Fukushima disaster will be long-term disruption and security concerns in the food chain, both land and ocean based. . . . → Read More: Fukushima wheat: throw current harvet away, but OK to plant again

The chickens come home from Fukushima to roost… err… beef

Well some time back I said that we would see the ramification of Fukushima’s radiological contamination continue. Now it is reaching Japan’s food chain. The Yomiuri Shimbun notes. that Radioactive beef has been sold … and eaten.

The meat of several cows tainted with radioactive cesium was marketed in Tokyo and eight prefectures, and some of the meat has already been consumed, according . . . → Read More: The chickens come home from Fukushima to roost… err… beef

Japan’s Nuclear Safety Commission admits to being liars – or at least parsimonious with the truth

In the British Parliament it is not allowed to call someone a “liar.” It is for this reason that Members of that august body have come up with such grand circumlocutions as: “My esteemed Colleague is being parsimonious with the truth!” Now just so we get our language right when dealing with nitty-gritty problems of truth telling in foreign cultures let me start . . . → Read More: Japan’s Nuclear Safety Commission admits to being liars – or at least parsimonious with the truth

Fukushima: It’s worse

Yoniuri Online diagram showing reduced water levels in Reactor 1 at Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Several people picked up on the Fukushima updates recently. A hat-tip to Krista Mahr of Time Online who in her article Fukushima: Er, Sorry…Worse Than We Thought repeats what I said yesterday about it being worse than we thought and pointed me to a Yomiuri Online report.

The Yomiuri Shimbun Online review of the situation has a very good image of the situation. . . . → Read More: Fukushima: It’s worse

Fukushima: fuel rods exposed, fuel melted, reactor vessel has holes…

This is probably the worst news about Fukushima yet, but it seems to be getting little media play. The short version, Reactor 1 has totally exposed fuel rods, melted fuel pooling at the bottom and holes in the reactor containment vessel. It is exactly similar to Chernobyl, with reactor fuel directly exposed to the environment outside the containment vessel. High radiation in the . . . → Read More: Fukushima: fuel rods exposed, fuel melted, reactor vessel has holes…

The cost of nuclear – incalculable

The Guardian has an good opinion piece which cites the surprising support from environmentalists like George Monbiot and Stewart Brand for nuclear power even after Fukushima.They contend that nuclear is better than coal, and that makes it imperative to the future. But the Guardian points out, nuclear will not go anywhere without large government support because of the uncertainties . . . → Read More: The cost of nuclear – incalculable