Tag Archives: cesium

Fukushima, International

Eating in Japan: Beware disease & radiation. International standards don’t exist! Are you worse off in the United States?

For the past few years Japan has been struggling with food problems, from diseases to radiation contamination.

The latest problem is an outbreak of E Coli in imported Chinese pickled cabbage. At least six people have died, 100 people are sick. The outbreak seams to be contained to northern Japan.

Since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster rice from northern Honshu has been found to be contaminated with radiation.  However, 28 August 2012, Fukushima Prefecture has cleared this year’s rice crop for sale.  The rice was harvested last week.  The Prefecture claims it will check all 360,000 tons of harvested rice for radiation contamination.

However, news is not good for fish.  Just in the past 24 hours the Japanese government banned the sale of Pacific cod.  The fish were caught 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the GE designed reactors in Fukushima.  When the fish were tested in port, they were found to be contaminated with twice the Japanese government’s current safe levels for cesium.

A week ago Tokyo Electric Power Company said they found fish near the nuclear plant that had a record 258 times the safe levels for cesium!

An even bigger concern is fresh water fish.  It’s been discovered that on average Japanese fresh water fish, caught in northern Honshu, are far more radioactive than salt water fish.

Recently, and sneakily, the central government of Japan changed the radiation safe limits for food, so that foods that were considered unsafe, are now safe.  Prior to the change the maximum safe limit was 370 becquerels per kilogram of cesium, now the maximum safe limit is 600 becquerels!  So even if you’re told the food is officially safe…..

Many other Asian countries, that rely on food from Japan, are crying foul.

Just two weeks ago Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety (CFS) discovered that oatmeal from Japan was contaminated with cesium 137.  CFS officials stated the amount of cesium was less than that of a chest x-ray, but made the announcement as part of their daily Food Surveillance Program of food coming from Japan.

But get this, Japan’s new radiation safety standards are still more strict than the Codex Alimentarius.

Codex Alimentarius is the United Nations’ World Health Organization’s, and Food & Agricultural Organization’s, international food safety standards.  According to reports in the Hong Kong media, the Codex Alimentarius allows up to 1,000 becquerels per kilogram of cesium in your food!   (I’ve tried to read the PDF’s from Codex Alimentarius, it’s as if it was written for extraterrestrials, no average human could understand the info!)

By the way, Codex Alimentarius just changed their international food safety rules at the beginning of August 2012.  One suggestion, by participating countries, is that the Codex Alimentarius logo will be displayed on food considered safe.

Vietnam’s Department of Food Hygiene and Safety announced they will start testing baby formula from Japan.  This is because Hong Kong officials reported finding radioactive iodine in Japanese baby formulas.  Hong Kong officials said the amounts were below the Codex Alimentarius limits.

Another interesting development is that six months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster began, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) approved a new International Basic Safety Standards (aka BSS).  Most of what I found on the internet is the old 1996 version.  It is a complicated publication that seems to say a lot without really saying much (see my comment about Codex Alimentarius above)!  Basically the IAEA tells governments to set their own standards!

Oh, and don’t try using a Geiger Counter on your food, it doesn’t work.

So when it comes to radiation contamination in the food we eat, it’s a crap shoot, whether we’re in the United States or Japan.

For cattle raised in southern Japan it seems everything is OK. Radiation hasn’t affected the cows that far south, and, last week U.S. and Japanese officials declared the two year foot & mouth disease of no more concern. Japan is set to resume exporting their beef to the U.S.

Interesting that Japan is resuming beef exports to the U.S., while Australia is now beating out the U.S. as the main supplier of beef to Japan.  In 2003 Japan banned U.S. beef because of Mad Cow (bovine spongiform encephalopathy/BSE).  Since 2006 only U.S. beef from cows younger than 20 months are allowed into Japan.

This year the Japanese government is considering further relaxing the restrictions on U.S. beef imports.

Australia has some of the strictest health standards for their meat industries, and is one reason they’ve escaped problems with Mad Cow.  It’s also why their beef exports are booming.  From July 2011 to July 2012, Australian beef exports to Japan increased 4%, Japanese are now the number one consumers of Australian beef.  But here’s really interesting news, Australian beef exports to the United States, for the same time period, went up 40.2%!

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. overall beef exports to the world have dropped by 15.4% from last year.  Mmm, wonder what’s wrong with the U.S. beef?

Foodborne illness, in Japan, is a more immediate threat (than radiation), according to a memo published on the U.S. Embassy (Tokyo) website.  The memo says the top two reasons for foodborne illness in Japan are improper handling, and improper storing of food.  The third reason is improper cooking of food.

A 2010 study that compared Korea (south) to Japan, showed that Japan had a high rate of foodborne disease (FBD).  The causes are basically the same as stated by the U.S. Embassy memo.

To put it in perspective, how high is the FBD rate in the United States?   According to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) numbers, about one in every six people (or 48 million!) get sick with FBD every year in the U.S.

Don’t rely on the central government of Japan for help in determining where to eat.  The discoveries of radiation contaminated food, last year, was made by prefectural and local governments, as well as by businesses, and individuals who paid for the tests out of their own pockets. Most Prefectures, local governments, and even local Japanese businesses, have taken matters into their own hands, providing information on radiation contamination and other health issues regarding food.  So check with the locals when seeking safe food in Japan. It’s a clear example of how a central government is useless.

For U.S. citizens traveling to Japan, who are concerned about being able to get safe food, and who think U.S. food products exported to Japan are safer, the USDA provides information about U.S. food suppliers doing business in other countries, so you might check that out.  But just because it’s from the United States doesn’t mean it’s safe.  Remember the drop in U.S. beef exports?

You can also check out the website Where Food Comes From.

 

Fukushima

One Year Later: Fish contaminated with 380 times safe limit of radiation! More proof the GE designed disaster reactors are still spewing!

21 August 2012, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCo) announced it has caught fish near the failed Fukushima Daiichi reactors that have as much as 38,000 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive cesium!

TEPCo says they’ve caught 20 kinds of fish and shellfish from 5 locations along the Pacific coast, just 1 kilometer (0.62 mile) off Minamisoma City, from mid July to the beginning of August.

A type of trout was contaminated with the most cesium, 38,000 becquerels.  That’s 380 times the safe limit set by the Japanese government!  To top that, the last time TEPCo tested local fish the amount of contamination was 18.8 times the safe limit!

Fishing was allowed to resume about 50 kilometers northeast of Fukushima Daiichi, on a trial bases, but not for rock trout or other fish that are showing up highly contaminated in TEPCo’s surveys.

ONE YEAR LATER: DOGS & CATS STILL ABANDONED IN RADIATION ZONES, GOVERNMENT NOW SEARCHING FOR OWNERS. OTHER PETS FORCED INTO SHELTERS BECAUSE OWNERS CAN’T KEEP THEM.

Fukushima

Cesium contamination of soil in Japan, from study published in October 2011

The following quotes are from a cesium-137 soil contamination study reviewed in July, and published in October 2011, just months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster began.

“The soils around Fukushima NPP [nuclear power plant] and neighboring prefectures have been extensively contaminated with depositions of more than 100,000 and 10,000 MBq km-2…”

“…around 90% of the total deposition of 137Cs occurs with precipitation.”

“…most of the eastern parts of Japan were effected by a total 137Cs deposition of more than 1,000 MBq km-2.”

“Airborne and ground-based survey measurements jointly carried out by MEXT and the US Department of Energy (DOE) (21) show high 137Cs deposition amounts were observed northwestward and up to a distance of 80 km from Fukushima NPP. It was estimated from the first measurement that by April 29, more than 600,000 MBq km-2 had been deposited in the area, which is greater than our estimate of less than 500,000 MBq km-2…”

“Overall, however, the highest potential deposition occurred over the Pacific Ocean…”

The study used soil samples taken by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), U.S. DOE and independent sources. Again, this was during the first few months of the ongoing the nuclear disaster.

The study is titled Cesium-137 deposition and contamination of Japanese soils due to the Fukushima nuclear accident.

Fukushima, Idaho, Technology

Radiation mystery at Idaho National Laboratory, Cesium & Cobalt

U.S. department of Energy reported on April 6, 2012, that radioactive particles of cesium and cobalt are being found on construction materials.

A contractor discovered the contamination.  Officials think it could be from the demolition of old buildings in that area of the INL site, which would imply that the buildings were contaminated before being torn down.

A local east Idaho DOE spokesman said there was no concern “…unless you get it onto your skin…” and you had “…prolonged exposure…”

Employees and vehicles are now being checked for contamination as they enter and leave the site.

Fukushima

One Year Later: Japanese Bamboo now radioactive, 124 miles away from Fukushima Daiichi!

200 kilometers (124 miles) away from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuke factory, bamboo plants grown for food are turning up radioactive!

On bamboo shoot farms in Chiba Prefecture, samples have turned out to be contaminated with as much as 250 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram!

Not only that, the latest samples are higher in cesium than samples taken more than one week ago.  Officials think cesium absorbed by the parent bamboo plants is being passed on to the young bamboo shoots.

Bamboo farmers have been told not to ship their product to market.

ONE YEAR LATER: FINALLY, JAPANESE OFFICIALS SAY SEA BASS ARE TOO RADIOACTIVE, FISHING BAN NOW IN PLACE!

 

Fukushima

One Year Later, More Government Incompetence: Finally, Japanese officials say Sea Bass are too radioactive, fishing ban now in place!

March 28, 2012, one year after the GE designed Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant melted down, Japanese fisherman are now being told their catches are indeed contaminated.

For the first time, Miyagi Prefecture has banned Sea Bass fishing, because of radiation contamination!

Prefectural officials say cesium levels are so high, they’re higher than the new stricter limits due to go into effect next month.  As much as 360 becquerels of cesium is being found in Sea Bass catches!  The new stricter limit is 100 becquerels.

Officials say two other types of fish are also exceeding the 100 becquerels limit!  This backs up what Russian and South Korean fish inspectors have been saying all along about contaminated fish from Japan!

The scary thing is that up ’till now fishing has been allowed near the disaster reactors of Fukushima Daiichi!

ONE YEAR LATER: JAPAN DEVELOPS THEIR FIRST EVER MOBILE PET CLINIC, TO HELP THE HUNDRED OF ANIMALS STILL SUFFERING IN IWATE

Fukushima

Global Food Crisis: Out of desperation Japanese Grocery stores turn to Chinese Rice!

No thanks to the ongoing nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi, Japanese rice prices have skyrocketed.  This is because the amount of Japanese rice that is not contaminated with radiation is getting smaller every month.

That fact has caused wholesale prices for Japanese rice to rise 20% since March 2011. Traditionally Japanese grocery stores will sell only Japanese rice, but now they are turning to rice from China.

Some stores are offering free samples to get their customers to buy it. Major supermarket operator, Seiyu, says they will try a test sale this coming weekend.  If it’s successful then Chinese rice could become the main food staple of Japan!

Fukushima

Government/Corporate Incompetence: Finally, Japan to use 22,000 square feet of concrete at GE designed Fukushima disater reactor zone! Pacific Ocean under threat!

21 February 2012, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCo) announced they will start pouring concrete! (again?)

They will focus on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, near the water intakes of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, to prevent any further radioactive materials from spreading.

TEPCo says they will begin right away (finally), starting on 22 February.  They will cover a 70,000 square meter (22,9658.7 square feet) area!

TEPCo hopes that the 60 centimeter (nearly 2 feet) thick layer of concrete will stop the spread of radioactive mud and sand, for at least 50 years!  The job could take four months.  The decision was made because high levels of cesium are still being detected in the Pacific Ocean!

People still need to demand an explanation why this decision took so long.  And what about the rest of the nuclear plant?

How did the Soviets deal with Chernobyl?

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology

Pale Green Horse, Radiation & Global Food Crisis: Japan to increase radiation detectors in food industry, sets new contamination standards

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Japan’s food industry is being required to install more cesium detectors in their factories, and the Health Ministry says it can pay for only half of them.  Japan’s food  producer will have to find a way to pay for the rest.

Japan’s Health Ministry has also changed contamination guide lines.  They’ve actually made them stricter when it comes to cesium.  Beginning April, 2012, general food products will be allowed 100 becquerels of cesium per kilogram, which is an 80% reduction from the current “safe” level.

Also, baby food and milk will be allowed to contain 50 becquerels.  However, drinking water will be allowed only 10 becquerels.  I wonder why they think it’s OK to have 50 becquerels in milk but only 10 in water?

To question, even more, the 10 becquerel drinking water limit is the fact that the new cesium detection equipment can not detect any cesium below 25 becquerels!  So how can they test the water accurately?

Fukushima

Pale Green Horse & Corporate & Government Incompetence: Radioactive construction gravel shipped all over Japan!

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Japan’s Industry Ministry now admits that since the March, 2011, nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture, construction gravel from that area has been shipped all over Japan, and it’s radioactive!

The ministry was forced to make the admission after an occupied apartment building tested positive for high levels of cesium (more on the inside of the building than on the outside).

Industry officials said they did not think there would be a problem with the gravel since it is first dug up out of the ground.  Apparently they didn’t think it would be contaminated while sitting on the ground waiting to be shipped out, after all the Fukushima Daiichi reactors are still spewing radiation!

The gravel quarry operator said at least 20 construction companies took on large amounts of gravel just from the end of March through April, 2011.