Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Worse than Anticipated - Article Example

of Teacher Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Worse Than Anticipated After a rather peaceful period with no nuclear incidents such as Chernobyl, Fukushima reminded us again of the nuclear disasters. Fukushima has transformed global perception about safety of nuclear plants. A lot has been written about its repercussions over the last two years; media coverage and government statements have found to be denying the disastrous effects hampering environmental stability. As far as Fukushima incident is concerned, it has changed the policies over various countries towards usage of nuclear energy with some opting for it whereas others have decided to phase out this technology. As a result of this disaster, severe air, water and milk contamination incidents have been observed in Japan and United States with research relating deaths of infants and other horrendous diseases to Fukushima’s nuclear fallout. However, silence of governments of Japan, US and Canada and involvement of industry lobbyists in policy making and control mechanisms against nuclear fallouts have been heavily criticized by environmentalists. In addition to the article written about the Fukushima disaster, which elaborated it to be worse than anticipated (Huff), there are many other articles that can be used as supporting evidence for indicating faulty government approaches and risks arising because of it. It was found that due to the nuclear fallout caused by natural calamities in 2011, the operations of the nuclear plant in Fukushima have been suspended. Analysis of a similar subject by Martin Fackler stated that the nuclear plants are not expected to resume its operations anytime soon. Japan was considered as a substantial market player in nuclear energy due to its ability to cover power shortages with the help of nuclear power. Now the country that initiated this trend is now attempting to phase out nuclear energy gradually. However, the possibility of Japan completely moving out of the nuclear industry is most likely to be ruled out due to the magnitude of its nuclear operations (Davies). Although the nature of possible side effects remain unidentified, it can be ascertained that Japan’s government is taking measures to gain local authorities’ support before resuming its nuclear operations and mitigate the risks of such natural calamities in future. According to Mangano and Sherman, the said nuclear disaster has been a cause for deaths of infants in the United States with death toll equivalent to thousands. The same disaster has been considered to have a similar impact on environment as the Chernobyl meltdown in the 1980s. Apart from the facts shared regarding death statistics, the article further reveals the possibility of increase in the number of deaths in United States due to Fukushima in the near future. This hypothesis was based on the increased number of reported influenza and pneumonia cases which showed a five time increment in the regular cases reported. Mangano and Sherman further shared the reasons for infants’ deaths including undeveloped immune systems and higher doses of radioisotopes. In addition to Mangano and Sherman sharing their concerns about Fukushima being equal to Chernobyl in death tolls, geologists and oceanographers have expected the overall impacts of the Fukushima fallout being higher than Chernobyl’s. The comparative study of the Baltic and Black Seas with reference to these two disasters states that the reading of radioisotopes is extremely high in the recent case (Wasserman). When most of the media coverage states the possible side effects of Fukushima on Japan, Canada and US, they exclude to mention how most of other 55 Japanese nuclear reactors locating in or near the zones are susceptible to earthquakes. On the other hand, Mangano and Sherman have further stressed considering the death tolls of Chernobyl as well as Fukushima before designing or approving further nuclear reactors globally. Another study on the subject matter conducted by Harvey Wasserman describes how governments of United States, Switzerland, China and Japan have responded to the idea of building similar plants in future. Although United States is concerned about the impacts of Fukushima on its population, no alarming news has been shared with the public. On the other hand, Japanese, German and Swiss governments have currently shunned the idea of immediate further development of nuclear reactors with Japan still being indecisive about it. The future of this industry remains dependent on the responses of China which has kept more than 25 projects on hold. Another major concern shown by Managano and Sherman was regarding an extensive contamination of air, milk and water all across United States. According to Mike Ludwig, radioactive isotopes have managed to contaminate air, milk and water as detected by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2011. However, where Mangano and Sherman have shared their concerns about contamination and its related hazards to public health, the EPA and other government authorities have considered this impact to be incapable of causing any alarming situation. On the other hand, independent organizations have identified discrepancies in the facts shared by the EPA and other external bodies. Ludwig further states that although later recordings have shown substantial decreases in the contamination levels, concerns remain unanswered when it comes to air contamination and rain water hazards. Rain water has a tendency of affecting livestock as well as agriculture, but there are no measures defined to identify the risks of future contamination and further nuclear exposure. Also, discrepancies between presence of same radioactive elements in dairy and seafood gives rise to further difficulties as the criteria defined by Derived International Levels (DIL) vary greatly. The situation further became worse when the EPA decided not to conduct further emergency tests followed by the Fukushima fallout. This act of sheer neglect has given rise to public suspicions towards intent of governments (“US Radiation Monitoring”; Asian News International). According to Alex Roslin, governments of Japan and North America have chosen not to disclose complete information to the general public. On the other hand, the situation becomes more aggravated when neighboring countries such as Canada prefer to ignore increase of radioactive isotopes in their environment and rain water. Further analysis of Roslin’s research describes that the Canadian government has chosen to support the nuclear industry and has further undermined the possibility of risks imposed by rain water on an opinion that rain water is not used for drinking purposes. The research further describes that where Japan and North America have chosen to remain proactive at least during and immediately after the crisis, the Health Canada conducted tests on a monthly basis, which were insufficient for identifying actual impacts. Poor data available regarding radioactive contaminations in Canada makes it further difficult to create any correlation between infants’ deaths and other environmental factors. Where Mangano and Sherman have declared that governments of countries such as Japan, Germany and Switzerland are opting not to build further nuclear reactors, Roslin indicated that Canada has chosen to adopt an opposite approach. In addition to apparent government neglect, an approach to keeping the public uninformed has been highly criticized by civil societies in US and Japan. Harvey Wasserman has added that authorities in Japan chose not to provide necessary details to the general public regarding nuclear reactors and the severity of their meltdowns. Skepticism grew higher when the city officials were founding keeping details hidden about the initial meltdown of the first reactors (Magnier and Barbara). The criticism grew higher when the city government stayed silent for months. Since no information was made public, the possibility of evacuation was also ignored. In the meanwhile, meltdowns lead to a higher degree of air and water contamination with water being used for drinking and other purposes. The intensity of the accident was further worsened by city officials’ unawareness of the government installed automated system, i.e., Speedi, for detection of radioactive isotopes in the air. It was found that such information was kept hidden to avoid mass evacuation and the future of the nuclear industry in Japan (Asian News International). Wasserman further discussed harms caused to the nuclear workers employed at Fukushima. The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has acknowledged over 4,500 cases of nuclear exposure only in Fukushima. Although, the Japanese government took measures such as removing radioactive soil from the grounds to mitigate the risks, but the population inside and outside the vicinity of Fukushima is still susceptible to it. Apart from Japan, United States has also chosen the similar policy of limited disclosure. It had been detected by independent institutions that there is a consistent difference between their records and readings taken by the EPA. Followed by the EPA’s approach is Obama administration’s faulty monitoring of radioactive fallouts in Fukushima. It was further found that the responsibility for measurements of such data has been transferred from government agencies, i.e., the NRC, to independent industry lobbyists such as the NEI. This observation of Hixon was further strengthened after closure of RADnet which was already producing faulty details due to incompetent systems. The transfer of testing from government bodies to industry lobbyists also puts public safety in further jeopardy (“US Radiation Monitoring”). In addition to decisions of individual governments regarding non-disclosure of necessary information to the public, a sovereign institution such as the United Nations is also keeping its eyes shut towards the gravity of the situation. The International Atomic Energy Agency of the United Nations declared that Fukushima incident bears no threats globally (Wasserman). Further information provided by Wasserman asserts that research of independent watchdog groups indicated the need for evacuation of over 70,000 people from Fukushima. The risks rise further if the administration of the EPA increases the safety exposure levels of radioactive isotopes. Involvement of business and politics in purely scientific matters has a tendency of endangering public safety. With the government of United States paying little attention to alternative methods of energy formation and conversion following Fukushima’s example, there arises the need for alterations in US national policy of nuclear energy. Crisis provides an opportunity to change and mitigate risks; however, presence of bureaucracy in such national issues takes attention away from the main agendas (Davies 1937). It has been found that the research published in Mickey Huff’s Censored 2013: The Top Censored Stories and Media Analysis of 2011-2012 entailed the details about hazardous impacts of the Fukushima nuclear fallout in Japan, United States and Canada along with in-depth discussion about governments providing limited disclosure regarding nuclear exposure. However, research conducted with the help of other news articles regarding the role of governments, i.e., Japan, US, Canada, Germany and France, along with the stance of the United Nations, helped in developing an understanding that the Fukushima fallout has given rise to risks endangering public safety in these countries as its magnitude has been recorded to be equivalent to the previous Chernobyl nuclear accident. It was also found that presence of bureaucracy and power given to industry lobbyists has further tainted the policies and controls regarding nuclear energy. Works Cited Asian News International. “Japan Facing Flak for Hiding Fukushima Radiation Path.” General Interest Periodicals – India. N.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Davies, Lincoln. “Beyond Fukushima: Disasters, Nuclear Energy, and Energy Law.” Brigham Young University Law Review (2011): 1937-90. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Hixon, Lucas W. “The EPA Took RADNet Down Because They Were Getting Data from Other Sources”. Enformable. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Huff. Mickey (Ed.). Censored 2013: The Top Censored Stories and Media Analysis of 2011-2012. Seven Stories Press, 2012. Print. Ludwig, Mike. “Radiation Detected in Milk, Air and Water – Is America Safe?” 12 Apr. 2011. Truth-out. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Ludwig, Mike. “EPA Halted Extra Testing for Radiation from Japan Weeks Ago.” 23 Jun. 2011. Truth-out. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Magnier, Mark, and Barbara Demick. “Disaster in Japan Nearer Nuclear Complex, Level of Skepticism Goes Up Many in City Suspect Officials Are Hiding Facts.” Houston Chronicle. Proquest. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Mangano, Joseph, and Janette Sherman. “International Journal of Health Service: 14,000 Excess Deaths in the U.S. Due to Fukushima.” International Journal of Health Services. 4 Jan. 2012. Proquest. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Roslin, Alex. “What Are Officials Hiding About Fukushima?” Straight. 19 Oct. 2011. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Wasserman, Harvey. “Is Fukushima Now Ten Chernobyls Into the Sea?” 27 May 2011. Truth-out. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. “US Radiation Monitoring May Have Been Handed off to Nuclear Industry Lobbyists” Fukushima Update. 4 Nov. 2011. Web. 10 Feb. 2013. Read More