Tag Archives: japan

Fukushima

Do NOT boil radioactive water, update

Japanese have been told that tap water is contaminated. They’ve also been told not to feed the water to their babies.

The level of contamination is too high for infants.  The contamination is mainly short life span Iodine-131.  Iodine-131 collects on your thyroid gland, and can cause cancer.

The Japanese government will be issuing clean water to parents with infants, who are, I believe they said, 12 months and younger.

Some people think they can boil the water. The problem is that the radioactive isotopes in the water then become air born in the steam rising from the boiling water, and you breath them in.  Also, if you boil for a only a short time there will still be contamination in the water.

The Consumer’s Guide has a web page that explains how to make water safe to drink. Scroll down until you get to the title “More Rigorous Purification Methods”. This section talks about distilling to get rid of radiation fallout in water.  It’s more complicated than just boiling.  When you distill you’re basically capturing the steam rising off the boiling water, then funneling it into a cup, or pot, to collect it.  The article then suggests you filter the water as well. 

Fukushima

Airborne Radiation levels based on computer assumptions

Japanese Cabinet Secretary, Edano Yukio, explained that the atmospheric radiation levels being published are based on air samples not taken near the nuclear plant, and a computer model.

Edano said the radiation levels at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, are too high to take air samples there.  Air samples have been taken in surrounding areas. Then a computer program is used to make radiation level assumptions, based on the samples and possible wind speed and direction.

In other words, it’s a best computer guess.

Fukushima

No tap water for Babies

Japanese officials have asked people to not give infants tap water.

This is based on government limits on radiation levels that are considered harmful to infants. Radioactive iodine is one of the contaminants found in the water. Radioactive iodine causes thyroid cancer.

The official says the source of the radiation is not clear.  Can you say, Fukushima?

Fukushima

IAEA finds more problems in Fukushima

“We continue to see radiation coming from the site … and the question is where exactly is that coming from?” -James Lyons,  IAEA 

International Atomic Energy Agency said that some reports given to them by TEPCO, are missing data for spent fuel pools.

Also, the amount of radiation coming from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, is not explainable. They are trying to find out where it is coming from.

 

Fukushima

Do not eat the spinach, or anything eles from Fukushima

The Japanese government is telling people not to eat any leafy vegetables, not just spinach, from Fukushima prefecture.  They also say turnips area no go as well.  One leafy vegetable has 150 times the safe limit of radiation.

Also, shipments of parsley and milk from Ibaraki prefecture, have been halted.

The ban on shipment applies to products that have not been sent to markets.

The eating ban applies to products that have already hit the markets.

Fukushima, Technology

Tokyo Electric says power outages will continue into summer

TEPCo said that Japan needs to prepare for rolling blackouts well into summer 2011.

The power shortage is a direct result of the nuclear disaster.

TEPCo is warning Japanese industries to make plans for the power shortage, such as reducing production.