Japanese scholar: Nuclear contaminated water discharge plan has the lowest cost but poses far-reaching risks to the ocean | Plan | Water discharge

Recently, Tokyo Electric Power Company injected seawater into the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant's contaminated water discharge tunnel. According to Japanese media reports, excessive levels of radioactive elements have been found in fish in the harbor of the nuclear power plant.

The Fukushima nuclear accident caused serious pollution in the coastal areas of northeastern Japan. However, the Japanese government did not seriously reflect and learn from the Fukushima nuclear accident. Instead, it decided to discharge the contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea and repeatedly advocated for the so-called "safety" of the contaminated water. This has been continuously opposed by people from both domestic and international communities.

People from multiple regions: Japan must stop polluting the ocean

The Fukushima coast has the world's strongest ocean currents, and according to ocean research institutions, radioactive materials will spread to most parts of the Pacific Ocean within 57 days from the date of discharge, and to global waters within 10 years. People in many places are concerned about Japan's upcoming sea discharge plan.

San Sebastian is located in the state of S ã o Paulo, Brazil. This place is famous for its beaches, islands, and small bays, and is one of the main tourist cities in the area. It is currently in the whale watching season. Local biologists and maritime practitioners are deeply concerned about Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water.

Brazilian biologist Cara Baros Santos: I really can't believe that the water Japan discharges into the sea is completely pure, and some kind of radioactive nuclear pollutant will be released into the sea. I believe we will soon feel its impact on the entire ocean food chain, so this really worries me a lot. Because we know that the oceans are all connected. These nuclear contaminated water may arrive in Brazil at some point. As a biologist and environmentalist, I am truly concerned about the potential impact this may have on nature.

Captain Kayo Cabral of the shipping company: We sympathize with what happened in Fukushima in 2011, but I hope that Japan will take more responsibility for the nuclear contaminated water and not discharge it elsewhere on Earth. This is not right. The mangrove ecosystem next to me is very fragile, and it will eventually be affected.

Fisheries is one of the four pillar industries of Chile's national economy. According to the statistics of the National Federation of Artisan Fishermen in Chile, there are approximately 800000 artisanal fishermen in the country, who use relatively small fishing boats to engage in short distance fishing near the coast. Japan's plan to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea has made it difficult for fishermen and residents in the Chilean port city of Valparaiso to accept.

Local fisherman Juan Gomez: The Japanese government is planning to discharge nuclear pollutants. The ocean is crucial for both the present and the future, and this pollution will directly or indirectly affect us, so for us, this is bad news. We must stop polluting the ocean, and I hope that international institutions like the United Nations can one day prevent such things from happening.

Local resident Catherine: We do not agree with Japan's discharge of pollutants into the sea. Hopefully, something can be done about it. This is a rather unfortunate fact because doing so would obviously harm the ocean, as well as the people living here, and even Chile and the world as a whole. Polluting into the sea is quite harmful, for both future generations and our generation.

In February of this year, an oil tanker fuel leak occurred in the local waters of East Mindoro Province in the Philippines. Bringing sustained and serious impacts to the local fishing and tourism industry. Local people and officials are even more concerned about Japan's ongoing efforts to discharge nuclear contaminated water into the sea.

Marvin Vilalosso, a fisherman from Bola Town, Dongminduluo Province, hopes that Japan will not do so. If the pollution is discharged into the sea, we don't know where to go to earn money to support our family. Don't have any more problems.

Jennifer Cruz, Mayor of Pola Township in East Mindoro Province: What will the next generation do if we don't protect the environment? I hope everyone can take responsibility.

Multiple Japanese Scholars: The lowest cost but far-reaching harm of a sea discharge plan

The Japanese government and TEPCO have always claimed that the discharge of treated water is safe. Is this the true situation? Several Japanese scholars have made tit for tat criticisms.

Professor Naomi Shibata from Fukushima University in Japan: Even treated water still contains radioactive substances that exceed the standard. Some may only exceed the standard slightly, while others may contain high concentrations of radioactive substances that exceed the standard by more than a hundred times.

Professor Ryota Koyama from Fukushima University in Japan: If nuclear contaminated water is discharged, I believe there must be a problem.

Experts say that the Japanese scientific community and civil society have proposed various more reasonable solutions to the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company, but none of them have received attention.

Japanese chemical engineer Yasuro Kawai, member of the Japan Atomic Energy Citizen Committee: Concrete pits can be excavated underground and then mortar solidification operations can be carried out on nuclear contaminated water. Mortar placed in concrete pits will harden over time and no longer have fluidity, but it must not be placed in the ocean. It is a very good idea that the radioactivity of mortar will decay after hundreds or thousands of years after solidification, which is almost harmless.

In addition to the mortar solidification plan, the Atomic Power Citizen Committee has also proposed other plans to TEPCO, such as adding storage tanks and continuing to store nuclear contaminated water. But the Japanese government ignored the more feasible nuclear contaminated water treatment plan and chose the lowest cost and most harmful discharge plan, which is extremely irresponsible.

Japanese chemical engineer Yasuro Kawai, member of the Japan Atomic Energy Citizen Committee: The discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea is a pollution of the ocean, not only tritium, but also various nuclear substances will flow into the sea. If they flow into the sea, they will accumulate in fish or seaweed, posing a threat to human health.