· Brent Heuser, a professor at the University of Illinois, said Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant will have “zero environmental impact.”
· The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co or TEPCO, will treat and dilute the water before pumping it out into the Pacific Ocean in about two years’ time.
· Japan’s neighbors including China and South Korea opposed the plan. Environmental group Greenpeace as well as local residents and fishermen also raised their concerns.
Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean will have “zero environmental impact,” according to one professor who spoke to CNBC.
Japan said Tuesday the Fukushima plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co or TEPCO, will treat and dilute the water before pumping it out in about two years. There are more than a million metric tons of radioactive water from the wrecked plant, and it will take decades to completely release them.
The move has drawn sharp opposition from Japan’s neighbors and environmental activists.
But Brent Heuser of the University of Illinois said the filtering process will remove most radioactive elements from the water, leaving only tritium — a radioactive isotope of hydrogen — that’s not harmful in small quantities.
Photo taken on Oct. 12, 2017 shows huge tanks that store contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
“Tritium is not dangerous in small amounts … it’s gonna be very dilute, it is simply not a concern, the environmental impact is zero,” Heuser, a professor of nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Thursday.
Still, Japan’s neighbors including China and South Korea have opposed the plan. Environmental group Greenpeace as well as local residents and fishermen also raised their concerns.
South Korea summoned the Japanese ambassador in Seoul and is reportedly exploring ways to fight Japan’s decision in an international court.
Over in China, the foreign ministry criticized Japan in a statement for “unilaterally” deciding to release the water, while ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian challenged Japanese officials to drink water from the Fukushima plant.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported Taiwan saying it will continue to express its concerns and closely monitor the related developments.
Polluting the ocean
Reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant were damaged by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. TEPCO has been accumulating the contaminated water in tanks, but storage capacity will likely run out late next year.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said releasing the water into the ocean was the “most realistic” option.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said “Japan’s chosen water disposal method is both technically feasible and in line with international practice.” The U.S. said Japan has been transparent and its approach appears in line with “globally accepted nuclear safety standards.”
For Heuser, there are larger issues about ocean pollution to worry about than Japan releasing the treated water.
“I would say to people who are concerned about this going into the ocean: We dump 8 tons of plastics in the ocean, pregnant women are not supposed to eat tuna because of mercury poisoning, microplastic is in the marine food chain — this is what we should be worried about,” he said.
· The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co or TEPCO, will treat and dilute the water before pumping it out into the Pacific Ocean in about two years’ time.
· Japan’s neighbors including China and South Korea opposed the plan. Environmental group Greenpeace as well as local residents and fishermen also raised their concerns.
Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean will have “zero environmental impact,” according to one professor who spoke to CNBC.
Japan said Tuesday the Fukushima plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co or TEPCO, will treat and dilute the water before pumping it out in about two years. There are more than a million metric tons of radioactive water from the wrecked plant, and it will take decades to completely release them.
The move has drawn sharp opposition from Japan’s neighbors and environmental activists.
But Brent Heuser of the University of Illinois said the filtering process will remove most radioactive elements from the water, leaving only tritium — a radioactive isotope of hydrogen — that’s not harmful in small quantities.
Photo taken on Oct. 12, 2017 shows huge tanks that store contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.
“Tritium is not dangerous in small amounts … it’s gonna be very dilute, it is simply not a concern, the environmental impact is zero,” Heuser, a professor of nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Thursday.
Still, Japan’s neighbors including China and South Korea have opposed the plan. Environmental group Greenpeace as well as local residents and fishermen also raised their concerns.
South Korea summoned the Japanese ambassador in Seoul and is reportedly exploring ways to fight Japan’s decision in an international court.
Over in China, the foreign ministry criticized Japan in a statement for “unilaterally” deciding to release the water, while ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian challenged Japanese officials to drink water from the Fukushima plant.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported Taiwan saying it will continue to express its concerns and closely monitor the related developments.
Polluting the ocean
Reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant were damaged by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. TEPCO has been accumulating the contaminated water in tanks, but storage capacity will likely run out late next year.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said releasing the water into the ocean was the “most realistic” option.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said “Japan’s chosen water disposal method is both technically feasible and in line with international practice.” The U.S. said Japan has been transparent and its approach appears in line with “globally accepted nuclear safety standards.”
For Heuser, there are larger issues about ocean pollution to worry about than Japan releasing the treated water.
“I would say to people who are concerned about this going into the ocean: We dump 8 tons of plastics in the ocean, pregnant women are not supposed to eat tuna because of mercury poisoning, microplastic is in the marine food chain — this is what we should be worried about,” he said.
First of all, I am very disappointed that CNBC interviewed a wrong guy Brent Heuser who only represents nuclear industry and knows zero for environmental field. He won’t say like this if Canada or Maxico has problem like Fukushima. The filtering process, so called ALPS, is UNABLE to treat all variety of radioactive species. The treated water still contains radio active cesium and strontium, etc. as well as tritium. Japanese gov has never opened the data of the filtered water. Brent said the amount of tritium is small and safe with no data, showing that the ignorant is brave. More than a million tons of contaminated water have been stored and are still being collected, and nobody knows when it will be ended. Fukushima plant keeps releasing contaminants and whenever it has natural events like typhoons or heavy storms, uncontrolled releasing contaminants to ocean are unstoppable because it wasn’t shielded like the Chernobyl site. Japanese gov. hasn’t presented the time line for the recovery in detail. They don’t say and know how long the treated water will be released, once it will start. There is only the time to start but no time to be end they put down. Stupid Brent said it is small quantity because it will be dilute. Is he a scientist? The total amount of tritium and unfiltered radioactive species doesn’t change at all even if it will be dilute.