According to Reuters, South Korean demonstrators sought government intervention on Saturday. Avert a ‘potential imminent tragedy’ caused by Japan’s release of over one million metric tons of treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
Japan began dumping water from the plant north of Tokyo into the sea on Thursday. Amid opposition from fishing communities and others concerned about the environmental effect both at home and abroad.
A gathering planned by the Korean Radiation Watch organization to oppose Japan’s plans to discharge treated radioactive water. According to the organizers, around 50,000 individuals participated in the protest.
“We will not immediately see disasters like detecting radioactive materials in seafood,” said Choi Kyoungsook of the Korean Radiation Watch organization. “But it appears inevitable that this discharge would pose a risk to the local fishing industry. The government needs to come up with solutions.”
The reason Japan released Fukushima water
According to Japan and scientific organizations, the water, which had distilled after polluted by contact with fuel rods. After the reactor was devastated in a 2011 earthquake and tsunami, is now safe.
According to Reuters, Tokyo Electric Power has been filtering the water to eliminate isotopes. Leaving just tritium, a radioactive hydrogen isotope that is difficult to separate.
According to Kyodo News, Japan’s fisheries agency also stated that fish examined in waterways around the facility contained no measurable amounts of tritium. South Korea, on the other hand, claims that there are no scientific issues with the water discharge. But environmental groups contend that all potential consequences have not explored.
Tritium-containing water is routinely released from nuclear power facilities across the world. Regulatory agencies favor dealing with the Fukushima water in this manner, according to Reuters.
According to a 2014 Scientific American article, tritium is regarded generally innocuous since its radiation is not powerful enough to penetrate human skin. When swallowed at quantities higher than those found in discharged water, it can increase cancer risks.
Along with the scheduled decommissioning of the facility, the water disposal procedure will take decades to complete.
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