Fukushima Number One Nuclear Power Plant to release treated water - Greenpeace warns of the impact

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

福島第一原発の処理水放出、グリーンピースが影響を警告

2020.10.25 Sun posted at 14:11 JST

（ＣＮＮ） 日本政府が東京電力福島第一原発にたまる処理済み汚染水の処分について、太平洋に放出する方向で調整を進めていることに対し、国際環境ＮＧＯグリーンピースは新たに発表した調査報告書の中で、放出される放射性物質が人間のＤＮＡを損傷する恐れもあるとの警告を発した。

福島第一原発内のタンクには、核燃料の冷却などで発生する汚染水から主な放射性物質を取り除いた水が約１２３万トン保管されている。

タンクが満杯に近づいていることから、政府は海洋放出に向けた検討を進めてきたが、これに対して環境団体や漁業関係者から影響を懸念する声が上がっている。梶山弘志経済産業相は２３日、懸念の声に対応する必要があるとして、政府決定の先送りを発表した。

グリーンピースは同日、海洋放出について新たな報告書を出し、汚染水には人間のＤＮＡを損傷する可能性がある炭素１４などの放射性物質が危険な濃度で含まれていると警告。太平洋に放出されれば地域社会や環境に深刻な長期的影響を及ぼすとの懸念を指摘した。

報告書を執筆したグリーンピース・ドイツの原子力問題研究者、ショーン・バーニー氏はＣＮＮとのインタビューで、タンクの水に含まれる炭素１４の放射能は６３．６ギガベクレルに及び、今後数千年にわたってＤＮＡ損傷を引き起こす恐れがあると述べた。

一方、東電の報道担当者はＣＮＮに、処理済み汚染水中の炭素１４の放射能は１リットル当たり約２～２２０ベクレルとの測定値があり、たとえ毎日２リットルずつ飲んでも健康に影響を及ぼすレベルではないと説明。さらに、東電が放出前に汚染水を再処理し、炭素１４を含めた放射性物質の濃度をできるだけ下げるとも強調した。

Translation

(CNN) International Environmental NGO Greenpeace had newly released a survey report in response to the Japanese government's adjustments in disposing treated contaminated water accumulated at TEPCO's Fukushima number one nuclear power plant in the direction of discharging it to the Pacific Ocean. It warned that the radioactive material released could damage human DNA.

Approximately 1.23 million tons of water came from removing major radioactive substances in the contaminated water generated by cooling nuclear fuel was stored in the tank at the Fukushima Number One Nuclear Power Plant.

As the tanks were nearly full, the government was considering releasing them into the ocean, but environmental groups and fishermen have raised concerns about the impact. Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshi Kajiyama said that it was necessary to respond to voices of concern, and announced on the 23rd that the government's decision had been postponed.

Greenpeace issued a new report on ocean release on the same day, warning that contaminated water contained dangerous concentration of radioactive substances such as carbon-14 that could damage human DNA. It pointed out the concern that if released into the Pacific Ocean, it could have serious long-term effects on the regional community and the environment.

In an interview with CNN, Greenpeace Germany's nuclear researcher Sean Bernie, who wrote the report, said that carbon-14 in tank water had a radioactivity of 63.6 giga-becquerels​ and worried that it could cause DNA damage over the next few thousand years.

On the other hand, a TEPCO spokesman explained to CNN that the radioactivity of carbon-14 in treated contaminated water was measured to be about 2 to 220 becquerels per liter, a level that would not affect health even if 2 liters were taken daily. He also emphasized that TEPCO would reprocess contaminated water as much as possible before releasing so as to reduce the concentration of radioactive substances, including carbon-14.

              So, it seems that Japan has no choice but to deal with its approximately 1.23 million tons of contaminated water by releasing it into the ocean. I sincerely hope that TEPCO will reprocess contaminated water as much as possible before releasing it so as to reduce the concentration of radioactive substances, including carbon-14. I am wondering if Greenpeace could act as a watch-dog in this respect.