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(Photo: Greenpeace)
TEPCO Pushes Plan to Dump Fukushima's Radioactive Water into Pacific
The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) announced Thursday plans to dump its stores of contaminated water--used to cool the damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant--into the Pacific Ocean.
Jan 25, 2013
The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) announced Thursday plans to dump its stores of contaminated water--used to cool the damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant--into the Pacific Ocean.
According to the Japan Times, TEPCO says the measure is "necessary because the utility fears it will eventually run out of capacity to store radioactive water that continues to accumulate at the plant due to water being injected to help cool the three reactors that experienced core meltdowns in March 2011."
Though the action will need approval from local governments, plant officials have struggled for months to find ways to store the accumulating amount of toxic water. According to the report, TEPCO is increasing the number of storage tanks, but has issued a warning that they will soon reach full capacity.
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Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) announced Thursday plans to dump its stores of contaminated water--used to cool the damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant--into the Pacific Ocean.
According to the Japan Times, TEPCO says the measure is "necessary because the utility fears it will eventually run out of capacity to store radioactive water that continues to accumulate at the plant due to water being injected to help cool the three reactors that experienced core meltdowns in March 2011."
Though the action will need approval from local governments, plant officials have struggled for months to find ways to store the accumulating amount of toxic water. According to the report, TEPCO is increasing the number of storage tanks, but has issued a warning that they will soon reach full capacity.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) announced Thursday plans to dump its stores of contaminated water--used to cool the damaged nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant--into the Pacific Ocean.
According to the Japan Times, TEPCO says the measure is "necessary because the utility fears it will eventually run out of capacity to store radioactive water that continues to accumulate at the plant due to water being injected to help cool the three reactors that experienced core meltdowns in March 2011."
Though the action will need approval from local governments, plant officials have struggled for months to find ways to store the accumulating amount of toxic water. According to the report, TEPCO is increasing the number of storage tanks, but has issued a warning that they will soon reach full capacity.
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