Japan will dilute the water to bring the remaining substances below regulatory standards before slowly releasing it 1,000 kilometres offshore into the sea
This representative map illustration from iStock shows the location of Fukushima. People and shops in South Korea, Japan’s closest neighbour, are buying seafood and sea salt in bulk after Tokyo was given the go ahead to release over a million tonnes of treated wastewater stored at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the Pacific Ocean.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), UN’s nuclear agency, had announced on July 4 that Japan’s plan to release the water is consistent with global safety standards.
South Korea officials have said Seoul will comment on the IAEA findings through their own upcoming investigative report into the effects of the discharge, ABC News reported.
China and some Pacific Island countries also oppose the plans, according to Associated Press. Some scientists questioned the long-term safety of the plan and environmental groups like Greenpeace have also opposed the decision.
The IAEA released a report reviewing the safety aspects of discharging the water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The report says, “neither the IAEA nor its Member States assume any responsibility for consequences which may arise from its use” after mentioning their efforts to be accurate.
The IAEA will continue to be involved during and after the discharge.
The report is the outcome of a two-year-long review after Japanese authorities requested assistance from the IAEA to make sure that their plan for releasing the water is implemented in a safe and transparent manner. The plan was submitted by the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings in December 2021.
Japan’s plan is to discharge water that has been treated by the Advanced Liquid Processing System to remove most radioactive substances. Japan will dilute the water to bring the remaining substances below regulatory standards before slowly releasing it 1,000 kilometres offshore into the sea.
The IAEA Chief observed the plans on July 5 and was satisfied.
Before this, Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority had approved the plan in May this year.
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