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Originally Posted by Hobie-Pedaller
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What "FACT" or facts.
I already know what those two articles say because I've already read both of them, but let me paraphrase them:
Fox...
Radiation levels in holding tanks of contaminated water at the plant has increased, and they've detected some leaks in the plumbing. The plant suffered meltdown after the massive earthquake, as a result the reactors are broken and have to be cooled with water, that said they are trying contain the waste. There has been some leaching of ground water, and a recent spill 300-ton (300,000-liter, 80,000-gallon) was the worst release of radioactive water since the crisis began. Authorities say they can't fully stop contaminated water leaks right away, water is still leaking in to the sea, but Scientists have said that contamination tends to be carried by a southward current and gets largely diluted as it spreads out into the sea.
That's a pretty simple assessment but I'll point out the obvious.... the FACTS they present are pretty much in line with what I said, and they are not talking about radioactive fish on this side of the Pacific.
CNN (actually a CNN opinion blog)
Toyoshi Fuketa a radiation expert says they've been careless at the plant, he mentions the recent spill, and says contaminated water is still reaching the ocean.
He says the amount of radioactivity released in March 2011 was less then Chernobyl but in the the total amount of stored cooling water Est. 400,000 tons there is in fact 2.5 times the amount of radioactive cesium dispersed in Chernobyl back in 1986.
He overestimates it's size, as 160 Olympic swimming pools would be in truth be 440,000 tons.
He then explains since the radioactive fuel still needs to be cooled constantly they inject about 400 tons of this stored water into the reactors daily. The water is recirculated from storage which he then for some reason increases estimates up in size to "600,000 tons of highly radioactive liquid" in the tanks.
He then says they are cooling the reactors using four kilometer long lines that were improvised after the emergency, that are not standard industry equipment, some of which are vinyl, or more likely PVC.
He then says the recent leak of 300 tons of radioactive water showed a frightening level of amateurism, and that soil around the tanks is contaminated.
He says the tank leak is just the latest in a long list of things are going fundamentally wrong at the site. He also says if the lost containment of their cooling water it would not only release radioactivity it could lead to another meltdown, and said the challenge of fixing these problems is pretty much unprecedented.
Better read, great stuff, I agree with his assessment 100% right down the line.
Between those two articles you can get a pretty good idea of whats going on.
The current amount of radiation that's been released is likely somewhere between a 10% to around 40% of what was released at Chernobyl. That said the cooling water they have been recirculating to cool the damaged reactors is..DUH!!... getting more and more contaminated with radiation all the time. Total loss of containment of that cooling water would not only release up to two and a half times as much as radiation as Chernobyl but it could also lead to another melt down.
The concern is since this cooling setup was improvised after the disaster it's not up to specs and it has been leaking. So authorities are concerned and want more oversight about what's being done and what could be done to eventually get this all under control.
Pretty simple huh!!!
Straight up nothing in either of those articles disagrees with anything I've posted in this thread. There is also absolutely nothing in either of them that suggests there are any potential radiation issues with locally caught game fish here in the United States.
You say this:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hobie-Pedaller
IMHO - all the people who still try to rant & rave & deny that there is any possible chance, that there is any possible significant health risk factors, for the people of the U.S. Pacific West Coast, must surely be....
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There is no basis for that. Yes there has been a big disaster, but it's not big enough to contaminate the whole Pacific. The Pacific is just too big. You have to weigh the amount of contamination released against the huge size of the Pacific and the numbers do not add up to what you suggest they could.
I mean sorry dude but there is nothing in either of those articles that backs up your rant. I'm not ranting, I'm laughing because this whole thing is so overblown and ridiculous. People that are making these wild contamination claims obviously either have no clue of the basic science, mechanics, or even the amount of water involved. I will admit that it's disappointing the some people believe it but you know people make this stuff intentionally to manipulate others, and people react to fear in often irrational ways.
Speaking of Chernobyl. Know anything about it's cooling setup? I actually know something about it because of the fish. Yes there are still fish in the cooling ponds at Chernobyl. I really like to catch big fish, so I've read up on it and right now the Chernobyl cooling ponds potentially hold some of the largest Wells Catfish in existence (over 500 pounds), due simply to the fact they are closed to fishing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw0j9hcVtk8
Which brings me back to my whole point. There are people in this country that are intentionally over blowing potential risks to our fish, simply because they have an agenda, and don't want us fishing for them. Our fish are not like those in Chernobyl. Don't buy into this crap. Our fish are fine and when you consider the size of the Pacific and the actual amounts of radiation released in true perspective, barring some huge change that creates a much larger disaster our fish are going to be fine for the foreseeable future.
Jim