Fukushima Power Plant Disaster - Essay Example

Fukushima power plant disaster History Fukushima nuclear disaster caused significant health and environmental challenges. The disaster began on March 11, 2011 after a tsunami attack triggered by an offshore Tōhoku earthquake of magnitude 9.0 (Fukushima Accident). The catastrophe rated by the International Nuclear Event scale as level seven only compares to the severity of the Chernobyl 1986. It occurred at the Daiichi power site that consisted of multi reactor facilities. Up to then, Daiichi plant located approximately 240 km on the northern side of Tokyo was among the largest nuclear power plants in the world. The events resulted in an explosion and partial nuclear meltdown in three operational reactors of the plant. However, it never caused serious fatalities given the rapid response including evacuation efforts. Introduction to the disaster Even though the disaster never caused many deaths, it comprises of the significant occurrences in the global history. It remains as the biggest nuclear disaster that took the authorities about 14 days to completely shut down the facility and several years to decommission and restore the effects. The collapse began when the tsunami severely damaged three operational reactors in plant number 1 and 2 at the Fukushima Daiichi. Subsequently, the shutdown stopped operations of the site by stopping the backup diesel generators thereby leading to a site blackout. The blackout and tsunami resulted in the failure of seawater pumps thus hindering cooling of the reactors. It then led to the meltdowns in the three primary reactors of the facility. In response, the government issued an evacuation notice for people within the 3-kilometre radius and later 10 km radius because of the magnitude of the challenge (Fukushima Accident). The radiations contaminated the Pacific Ocean water and caused massive air pollution. It also led to displacements of people, disruption of the way of life, the decline in the economic activities. Chains of events leading to the disaster The Tokaimura accident in 1999 triggered the development of radiation-resistant robots. However, a task force that included the representatives of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) discredited the robots in 2002. Besides, no nation or plant projected the possibility of occurrence of a disaster similar to the Chernobyl. The firms also showed belief in the skilled employees to manage and limit the occurrence of nuclear accidents. Hence, dissolution of radiation robots enhanced Japan’s vulnerabilities and limited the response options to the Fukushima disaster (Lochbaum, Lyman and Stranahan 40). Earlier on, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) identified but delayed to submit a report about the possibility of tsunami occurrence to the Japan’s nuclear safety agency. The company termed such information as baseless and had little impact on the sophisticated systems. Therefore, the untimely yet envisioned accident ambushed the inhabitants of the city. Besides, the agency had little time to plan and counter the imminent danger (Lochbaum, Lyman and Stranahan 65). Moreover, the little could be done to thwart the threat since it was a product of natural occurrence. Discussion of the disaster The disaster is the worst to happen in Japan. Its long-term effects arise from the short term issues of concerns. Hence, the world shared a concern for the Japanese fears. It also enhanced the challenges that posed by natural occurrences on the built infrastructure. The effects were numerous, and Japan has the challenge of addressing radiation issues. The atmospheric contaminants were mainly concentrated in the Pacific and Japan. They included the dangerous radioactive forms of caesium and iodine. These products can exist in the atmosphere or life cycle for over thirty years thus causing environmental and health challenges (Samet and Chanson 3). The meltdown of the reactors released contaminants into the soil and water. In most instances, water and soil are the primary sources of human livelihoods from seafood’s, livestock, and agricultural products. Therefore, the presence traces such as caesium will have a long lasting vulnerability to incidences of cancer-related diseases. Therefore, the disaster caused widespread health complications and enhanced the community vulnerability to diseases. Even though these releases are unhealthy, they have different impacts on the human and environmental health. Iodine pollution increased vulnerabilities to thyroid cancer and whereas caesium has a bioaccumulation effect. It meant that the traces could continue to flow in the natural life cycle including soil, animals, and water (Samet and Chanson 5). The disaster also posed a global threat about the about safety of Japanese products. The severity of the radioactive components affected economic activities including production and trade. The Japanese government and the international community placed a ban on foodstuffs from the region in order to contain widespread exposure. To date, the area is under close monitoring for possibilities of dangerous radioactive materials (Samet and Chanson 15). Professional and ethical responsibilities of various parties Fukushima nuclear accident, viewed in a general concept, resulted from an enormous tsunami, which made it impossible to control the power station. In some case, this suggests that it was a ‘natural disaster’. However, the failure of freezing a nuclear core because of an earthquake destruction to a nuclear facility seems like an already known possible scenario even before the accident occurred. It proves that even a small tsunami could have had the same impact and cost lives as it occurred. It is unfortunate that such investigative reports were not considered hence no implementations of proper safety measures enacted (Visschers and Siegrist 33). The experts pointed out previously the dangers of nuclear reactors being affected by an earthquake or tsunami, of which were neglected, proves that they have to take the blame. Appropriate preventative actions for safeguarding against the risks were abandoned. The responsibility ends up by the government and TEPCO making the disaster man made. According to reports statistics, 10% of earthquakes globally occur in Japan and an earthquake (Fukushima Accident). In addition, 6 or higher on the Meteorological Agency of Japan seismic intensity scale has a high chance of occurring in any area in the archipelago. Additionally, location of most of the nuclear reactor of Japan is along the coast, hence prone to the potential tsunami. The government needs to review keenly the matter (Visschers and Siegrist 35). Impact of the disaster The radioactive materials discharged from the atomic reactor spread to a vast region of the affected area. The materials changed the environment widely with pollution to water sources and the fertile soil of Japan. Some of the particles remained in the air, absorbing radiations from the sun hence factoring in global warming. Most of the people who survived the earthquake inhaled the radioactive materials from the contaminated air. Hence, they risked cancerous and genetic malformations to the new bones (Thatcher, Vasconcelos, and Ellis 55). Economically, the earthquake and the tsunami caused significant damages to the main roads in the area, buildings, power grids resulting in blackouts. Most of the businesses came to a mute due to the destroyed infrastructure. Most of the business, not specifically in the area but supplied by power from the area shut down for a while as the destroyed power lines were repaired. As a result, production of most products declined, with reduced supplied commodities in the market, increasing the prices of the inadequate goods available. It was a big blow to the growing economy of Japan (Visschers and Siegrist 45). The calamity significantly affected the social lives of those in the region encountered. The destruction of their houses caused by the tsunami and the earthquake made them move to other places in the neighborhood seeking for refuge. The disaster destroyed almost all of their personal belongings making them start making homes a fresh. The government support together with donations from neighboring countries saved them a great deal (Thatcher, Vasconcelos, and Ellis 60). Factual basis and contemporary issues related to the disaster. The fact remains that the obliteration of all the reactors separately at Fukushima Daiichi was not a self-governing process but somewhat complexly interdependent. Because of coexisting misfortunes at several reactors, cleanup and suppression exertions at the site failing to focus on any definite reactor but relatively disseminated across many calamity sites. From these, the Fukushima accident proves the fact that the government will not be able to deal with numerous concurrent reactor accidents in future (Thatcher, Ana, and David 43). In addition, the Fukushima accident made it visible and broadly known that the coolant loss accidents have high chances of occurring in spent pool of nuclear fuel. Moreover, that it is thus very hazardous to larger on the effectiveness of intermittent inspections and fuel rod exchanges over safety by these pools locations above reactors. Despite the experience, neglection of keenness and lessons not learned, then the same thing will happen again (Thatcher, Vasconcelos, and Ellis 44). In conclusion, the Fukushima power plant disaster affected the people of Japan in all directions, economic, environmental, social and even political. The calamity wiped dead many people leaving others injured while majority homeless. The government played a big role in the disaster, and it should serve as a lesson for future occurrences of the same. In a progressive way, the right measures should be put implemented to prevent not only the nuclear reaction but also the hazardous effects of the ordinary earthquakes and tsunamis. Works Cited "Fukushima Accident." February 2015. World Nuclear Association. Web. 18 April 2015. . Jonathan Samet, Dayana Chanson. Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant Disatater: How many people were affected? Rearch. London : University of Southern Carolina, 2015. Print. Lochbaum, David A, Lyman, E, and Stranahan, Q, S,. Fukushima: The Story of a Nuclear Disaster. New York: The Press , 2014. Print. Visschers, Vivianne H. M., and Siegrist, Michael. "How A Nuclear Power Plant Accident Influences Acceptance Of Nuclear Power: Results Of A Longitudinal Study Before And After The Fukushima Disaster." Risk Analysis: An International Journal 33.2 (2013): 333-347. Business Source Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. Thatcher, Andrew, Vasconcelos, A, and Ellis, David. "An Investigation Into The Impact Of Information Behaviour On Information Failure: The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Disaster." International Journal Of Information Management 35.1 (2015): 57-63. Business Source Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2015. Read More