[Global Focus] Japan Fukushima Contaminated Water: 'Radiation Terrorism' or 'Political Hoax'?

IAEA Final Report Released
Domestic Political Circles Followed by Scientific Community Disagreement
"Tritium Concentration Will Be Lower in Korea 5 Years After Discharge"
"Radioactive Accumulation in Humans from Food Chain Perspective"

'Nuclear wastewater and radiation terrorism,' or 'second mad cow disease agitation and rumor politics.'

Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water discharge has entered the 'countdown.' The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which had been friendly to Japan until now, will announce the final report containing the safety evaluation on the 4th, and the timing of the discharge will entirely depend on the decision of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

As the contaminated water discharge approaches reality, the anxiety of the Korean people is gradually increasing. Opinions expressing concerns about harmfulness and claims that there is no problem are still clashing not only in the political sphere but also in the scientific community. Meanwhile, China and Russia oppose the discharge, while the United States and the European Union (EU) say they will respect Japan's judgment, showing divided reactions by country.

Recently, the international academic journal Nature also released a report titled 'Is the Fukushima contaminated water discharge safe? What science says,' focusing on the scientific controversy over the safety of the contaminated water but did not reach any definitive conclusion. While there is no sign of narrowing the extreme differences of opinion regarding the aftermath of the contaminated water discharge, the timing of the discharge is gradually approaching.

"Contaminated Water Risk Zero (0)... Korea Also Releases Tritium"

Currently, 1.33 million tons of contaminated water are stored in tanks at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Japan purified the contaminated water through Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) treatment, but due to a shortage of storage space, it plans to discharge it into the sea.

The issue that could arise at the time of discharge is tritium contained in the contaminated water. Among the total 64 radionuclides contained in the contaminated water, 62 can be removed below the recommended levels by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). However, tritium and carbon-14 are not filtered out by ALPS. In particular, tritium emits beta (β) radiation, which can damage human DNA, raising significant concerns.

Large amounts of radioactive contaminated water stored in tanks near the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Tokyo Electric Power Company plans to dilute the contaminated water by mixing it with seawater to a tritium concentration of 1,500 Bq (becquerels, a unit indicating radioactivity) per liter before discharge. This is about one-seventh of the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for radioactivity in drinking water. The radioactivity concentration of carbon-14 is also 2% of the current upper limit, and Japan explains that it will be further lowered by dilution before discharge. The academic community also views that if the contaminated water is discharged after undergoing the treatment process disclosed by Japan, it will not pose a problem.

Jim Smith, a professor of environmental science at the University of Portsmouth in the UK, claimed that the risk of contaminated water discharge is "clearly zero (0)" and that "the Pacific islands are about 2,000 km away." The contaminated water first reaches North America following the Kuroshio Current and then flows back to East Asia across the Pacific. It is expected to arrive in Korea in about five years. During this process, the tritium concentration, which already meets discharge standards, is expected to decrease further.

Many experts also emphasize that many countries release more tritium than the contaminated water to be discharged this time, but no harmful effects on the human body have been found. According to the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, Korea released 214 TBq (terabecquerels) of tritium as of last year, and China released 1,054 TBq as of 2020.

Japan plans to release much less tritium annually, about 22 TBq, through the Fukushima contaminated water discharge. Tony Irwin, an emeritus associate professor at the Australian National University, said, "The Korean Kori nuclear power plant released 91 TBq of tritium in 2019, more than four times Japan's planned discharge," adding, "The world has been routinely discharging water containing tritium for over 60 years, but it has not caused harm to humans or the environment."

Professor Smith also argued, "The La Hague reprocessing facility in France releases about 10,000 TBq of tritium annually into the English Channel," adding, "However, the amount of radioactivity in this area is very low, and there is no evidence that it seriously affects the ecosystem." He referred to the Chernobyl case, the worst nuclear accident in history, saying, "I studied the lake ecosystem near Chernobyl, which contains water thousands of times more contaminated than the sea around Fukushima," and "The lake ecosystem thrived, and the radiation levels were found to be extremely low."

"Radiation Accumulation in Humans Through the Food Chain"

There are also academic opinions opposing the discharge decision, arguing that Japan's safety verification process was insufficient. First, there is concern about the possibility of radiation accumulating in the human body through the food chain.

Fish being sold on the 24th at the seafood market in Onahama Port, Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. This port is located about 55 km away from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, where the Japanese government plans to start releasing contaminated water this summer.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Robert Richmond, a marine biologist at the University of Hawaii in the United States, said, "Tritium can accumulate as larger organisms consume smaller organisms exposed to contaminants," and "the chemical property of 'dilution' is weakened by marine biology, so it cannot be a solution." Shigeyoshi Ottosaka, a marine scientist at the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute of the University of Tokyo, also expressed concern that organically bound forms of tritium could accumulate in fish and marine life. It is pointed out that radiation can accumulate in the human body, the ultimate predator, following the food chain of seaweed, plankton, and fish. Professor Richmond emphasized the need for long-term environmental impact assessments, saying, "Those promoting marine discharge after contaminated water treatment have not sufficiently proven that (contaminated water) is safe for humans and the ocean."

There are also claims that the Japanese government's data itself is unscientific. The National Association of Marine Laboratories (NAML), consisting of 100 marine research institutes in the United States, opposed the contaminated water discharge last December, stating, "There is a lack of appropriate and accurate scientific data supporting Japan's claim that (the contaminated water discharge) is safe."

Some experts are concerned that there has been no precedent for treating contaminated water with ALPS to remove 62 radionuclides and then discharging it. Many countries, including Korea, treat waste generated from operating nuclear power plants in a manner similar to ALPS, but only to the extent of removing a few radionuclides such as cesium. Therefore, there are calls for scientific verification to confirm whether ALPS operates normally in the future and whether radioactive materials fall below the standard after treatment.

Nature magazine noted, "Radiation in the water will be diluted to almost natural levels," but "some researchers are not confident that this is sufficient to mitigate risks." There are also opinions that alternatives should be considered if safety controversies continue. Tony Hooker, an associate professor at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said, "There is also a proposal to solidify the contaminated water with concrete to trap the remaining radioactive tritium."

US and EU Respect Japan's Decision... China and Russia Oppose Discharge

Reactions from countries regarding the Fukushima contaminated water discharge vary greatly. East Asian countries such as China, which are adjacent to Japan, and Pacific island nations are greatly concerned about safety. In contrast, the United States and Canada, where the contaminated water will arrive before Korea, have shown no particular reaction.

The United States stated that it "understands that Japan has undergone strict treatment procedures." It expressed trust in the IAEA's verification results. Earlier, the IAEA stated in an interim report that "no radioactive nuclides or hazardous substances were detected at meaningful levels."

The EU is reportedly planning to fully lift import restrictions on Japanese food products implemented after the Fukushima nuclear accident by the end of this month. Foreign media reported that the EU judged the abolition to be reasonable based on scientific knowledge. On the other hand, the Chinese and Russian governments oppose Japan's contaminated water discharge. The Chinese government has repeatedly stated that "the Pacific Ocean is not Japan's sewage system for nuclear contaminated water."

Some point out that the Japanese government unilaterally pushed forward with the contaminated water discharge without sufficient prior consultation with neighboring countries, increasing their anxiety. There are also calls for continuous monitoring of proper treatment during the contaminated water discharge process in the future. However, voices are also rising that the contaminated water issue should not be approached from a political purpose but rather from a scientific verification perspective.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.