So much water to be able to fill 500 Olympic swimming pools, or about 1.3 million tons and which Japan has decided to pour into the sea. It is this crux of the controversy that is stirring up turmoil in China and has triggered serious concerns about the reputation of future Japanese water products.
We’re not talking about ordinary water, it’s wastewater, which includes rain and groundwater contaminated during the cooling process of the nuclear fuel rods damaged by the explosion of the Fukushima atomic power plant in 2011. All caused by one of the most powerful tsunamis in history recently from Japan.
The nefarious waters are currently contained in more than 1,000 steel tanks on the site, right next to the infamous plant, but Tepco (operator of the plant) has warned that storage space is running low: water cannot continue to be stored endlessly, is their argument.
Before being discharged, the treated water will be diluted with seawater to one-fortieth of the concentration permitted under Japanese safety standards, and then released through an underwater tunnel located one kilometer away from the plant.
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The blockade of Hong Kong and the protests of China
Tepco’s advanced liquid treatment system removes most radioactive elements, but not all. Tritium, a hydrogen isotope that is difficult to separate from water, is in fact present in those waters and the current political game is being played on its concentration and its harmful effects.
The prime minister, Fumio Kishidacontinues firm in his decision and has in fact asked Tepco, “to prepare rapidly for the release of the waters” in accordance with the plans approved by the nuclear regulatory bodies, adding that the release will begin as early as Thursday.
Kishida emphasized the crucial importance of dewatering the Fukushima Daiichi site as an essential step in the complex and protracted process of decommissioning the nuclear plant.
A torrent of criticism quickly erupted from its Asian neighbors. The Hong Kong market, which is vitally important for Japanese seafood exports, has reacted by raising the threat of trade restrictions, and they are already preparing to implement strict controls on imports of seafood from Japan.
South Korea and China took drastic measures by banning the import of seafood from specific areas of Japan as early as March 2011. China has accused Japan of using the ocean as a kind of “dumping ground” to dispose of own nuclear waste.
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The IAEA pass
Meanwhile, as several European countries lifted restrictions on Japanese food imports, China introduced radiation tests on all Japanese-made seafood. For years, Beijing has opposed the planned release of the water, even refusing to adopt the term “treated water” as a ploy to downplay the possible risks of “nuclear-tainted” water.
But the Japanese decision to proceed with the dumping was not taken unilaterally, it is in fact in line with the United Nations nuclear agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which gave its approval to this operation, arguing that the radiological impact on people and the environment will be insignificant or “negligible”.
In fact, several industry experts point out that nuclear plants around the world implement similar procedures for the disposal of wastewater containing low concentrations of tritium and other radionuclides. This practice, which involves the dilution of radioactive substances and their controlled release into the sea, has been established as a scientifically sound solution to minimize risks to the environment and human health.
China, along with Russia, just last month urged Japan to consider the option of vaporizing and releasing the water into the atmosphere, arguing that this would have a smaller environmental impact.
Meanwhile, at a local level, fishermen in the affected region (Tohoku which includes the prefectures bordering the central area) have expressed their dissent fearing further damage to their already frayed reputation. They argue they have already faced years of efforts to regain consumer confidence after the initial nuclear crisis.
The Fishermen’s Revolt
Taking into account these concerns the government has decided to release the treated water before the start of the trawling season off Fukushima in September. And in the hope of getting the fishermen’s consent to the government plan, Kishida even went to visit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant last Sunday to hold discussions with the head of the national federation of Japanese fisheries. However, the Federation did not give in a millimeter and remained opposed to the release of the water.
The government has already secured itself by setting up two separate funds, worth 30 billion yen ($206 million) and 50 billion yen, for any damages and to support local fishermen in maintaining their businesses.
Meanwhile, Japan shrewdly noted that both China and South Korea have previously released liquids containing high concentrations of tritium into the ocean from their domestic nuclear power plants. Tritium is known to be less harmful to the human body than other radioactive materials such as cesium and strontium, as it emits weak radiation and does not accumulate inside the human body. However, critics argue that the matter is fraught with uncertainty as there is no real long-term data. So whether the ‘washing’ of contaminated water is really a safe process for human health is yet to be verified.