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Fukushima fishermen okay water discharge into sea

Fukushima fishermen okay water discharge into sea

August 11, 2015

Fukushima fishermen give nod to TEPCO’s plan to release treated water into sea

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201508110060

 

 

By SUSUMU OKAMOTO/ Staff Writer

Fisherman operating in waters close to the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant formally approved a plan by plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. to discharge radioactive groundwater into the ocean after decontamination treatment.

The Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations gave the green light to TEPCO's “subdrain plan” at an extraordinary meeting on Aug. 11.

TEPCO is expected to start discharging treated water as early as next month.

It will pump contaminated groundwater accumulating in areas around reactors damaged by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster for processing and then release it into the sea.

The fishermen's federation submitted a written request to the central government and TEPCO setting certain conditions for giving its approval to the subdrain plan. It warned the utility against discharging highly radioactive water inside the reactor buildings even after decontamination treatment and called for strict monitoring of standards for the release of water. It also insisted on compensation in the event the local fishing industry suffers losses as a result of groundless rumors.

Many fishermen initially opposed the TEPCO plan as processed radioactive water had never been discharged into the ocean.

TEPCO’s delay in disclosing the leakage of radioactive water into the sea each time it rained heavily also hampered its negotiations with local fishermen as it undermined their confidence in the company. The matter only came to light in February.

TEPCO then made an intensive effort to explain the subdrain plan would help reduce the flow of contaminated underground water into the ocean. This convinced the prefectural fishermen's federation that the work could drastically decrease radiation levels in nearby waters, prompting it sign off on the plan.

 

 

Fukushima fishermen to allow discharge into sea

Aug. 11, 2015 - Updated 07:16 UTC+2

 

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150811_24.html

 

Fukushima's fisheries federation is planning to conditionally allow decontaminated underground water from the crippled nuclear power plant to be discharged into the sea.

In exchange, it has asked the government and the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to take measures to prevent negative harmful rumors.

The Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations reached this decision on Tuesday after a conditional agreement by a fishermen's group in Iwaki City.

The group handed a written request to officials from the central government and TEPCO.

It is asking that strict operational standards be observed for the discharge and that the process be subject to monitoring by a third party. It also asks that compensation be paid for harmful rumors.

Tokyo Electric Power Company is planning to pump up contaminated ground water from wells near the reactor buildings, decontaminate the water, and then release it into the ocean.

This measure will be taken to deal with the 300 tons of contaminated water that is being produced at the facility every day.

But TEPCO's plan has been suspended. In February, local distrust of the operator mounted after it was found to have failed to disclose leaks of contaminated rainwater into the ocean.

The federation's chairman Tetsu Nozaki said it was a very troubling decision, but measures to deal with the contaminated water are necessary. He said they will make a final decision after receiving a response.

TEPCO's Tsunemasa Niitsuma said they appreciate the understanding of the plan, and will try to respond quickly.

 

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