In 2011, the tsunami that hit Japan led to discharge of radioactive isotopes from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The venting reduced gaseous pressure from the reactor containment vessels and discharge of water from the coolant into the sea. The USS Ronald Reagan undertook a rescue mission following the nuclear plant accident. However, several months later, the US sailors started experiencing severe radiation symptoms that prompted them to file suits against the Tokyo Electric Power Company with claims that the company failed to disclose radiation details from the US Navy after the nuclear power plant accident. According to the WHO report, 70% of the people exposed to radiation are likely to develop thyroid cancer, 7% are at a risk of suffering from leukemia, 6% from breast cancer, 4% from female cancers.
Image by IAEA Imagebank (Source: flickr.com)
Traces of the radioactive particles have been detected worldwide and numerous deaths of birds, animals and sea life have been linked to the radioactive plume. However, since the accident, the Tokyo Electric Power Company has been trying to contain the radioactive leaks and nuclear radiation levels around the Fukushima power plant. Their effort has been successful because at the worst month following the disaster, Fisher’s lab tested Tuna that had been caught off the waters of California. The radioactivity dose from the tuna was much lower than what people are exposed to from eating bananas, medical X- rays, and natural occurrence. This is because disperse of contaminants through the Pacific Ocean into the West Coast dilutes the radiation concentration reducing it several times. Additionally, the federal and state agencies have boosted monitoring of radiation after the disaster and the recorded data shows a decline in the high levels in milk and air.
IAEA experts monitoring water samples (Source: flicker.com)
On the contrary, assertions are circulating in the internet that seafood and beaches are being contaminated by radiation from the Fukushima meltdown. For example, the YouTube video titled ‘28 Signs that the West is Being Absolutely Fried with Nuclear Radiation from Fukushima’ shows a man detecting radiation levels using a Geiger counter on Half Moon Bay beach. Also, an outrageous worry in Seattle was also observed that people were afraid of eating seafood and going to the beach. This prompted the California Department of Public Health to send inspectors to test radiation levels. The analysis showed that radiation at the beach resulted from natural occurrence from minerals in the sand but not as a result of the Fukushima radiation.
Since the tsunami that led to discharge of radioactive isotopes from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, there has been tremendous improvement in the control of radiation health risks. The Tokyo Electric Power Company controlled the leaks and the same has been reviewed several times by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In addition, numerous tests have been conducted and it has been established that fish are safe for human consumption. Also, it has been established that beaches are safe for use by the public.
