South Korea has announced that Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea meets international safety standards.
This comes days after the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) review of the contentious proposal found it was safe.
In a briefing on Friday, July 7, 2023, Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, Bang Moon-kyu stressed that Seoul’s own analysis; based on an inspection of the plant in late May, its own data and the IAEA’s review, depicts that the discharge of more than 1.3 million tonnes of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean would be safe if it were carried out as detailed in the proposal.
“We have confirmed the concentration of radioactive material meets standards for ocean discharge … and therefore, the plan meets international standards including those of the IAEA.”
Bang Moon-kyu
The study, which focused on whether the discharge would affect South Korean waters, found it would have “negligible consequences”, Bang noted.
It would take up to 10 years for the treated water released from Fukushima into the Pacific Ocean to circulate back into the seas around the Korean peninsula, he said.
By then, the radiation level “is projected… to be scientifically irrelevant”, he added.
In its two-year safety review, the IAEA said Japan would dilute the water before discharge to bring the level below regulatory standards, adding that its experts would be stationed at Fukushima for any release, which is expected to take decades.
The proposal to release the water – most of it used to cool the reactors before being treated and stored in huge tanks around the site – has caused concern not only among Japan’s neighbours but also among many Pacific island nations, which are still dealing with the legacy of nuclear weapons testing.
Much of the concern centres around the potential risks from the radioactive isotope tritium, which is difficult to remove from water.
Local fishing organizations have rejected the plan because they worry their reputation will be damaged even if their catch is not contaminated. It is also opposed by groups in South Korea, China and some Pacific Island nations due to safety concerns and political reasons.
A massive tsunami on March 11, 2011, destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi plant’s cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt and contaminating their cooling water, which has leaked continuously.
The water is collected, treated and stored in about 1,000 tanks, which will reach their capacity in early 2024.
The tanks of treated water now crowd much of the site and Japan says it needs to start discharging the water because it is running out of space to store it.
The government and TEPCO, the plant operator, say the water must be removed to prevent any accidental leaks and make room for the plant’s decommissioning.
IAEA Review Was Not An Endorsement
Also on Friday, International Atomic Energy Agency Chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi rejected claims made by China that the IAEA report was hastily made and “failed to fully reflect views from experts” who participated in the review.
China is one of the fiercest critics to the proposed plan to discharge the water.
Speaking to a news agency, Grossi said, “What we have published is scientifically impeccable.” He stressed that the IAEA review was not an endorsement, but simply that “it was consistent with the standards.”
Grossi is due to speak to the media on Friday before leaving for South Korea, New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
Meanwhile, China’s customs department announced a ban on the import of food products from 10 Japanese prefectures for safety reasons and said it would step up testing for radioactive substances.
READ ALSO: Chamber of Agribusiness Calls For Overhaul Of National Food Buffer Stock Company
