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RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Japan's Fukushima nuclear wastewater 'pose major environmental, human rights risks'
Storage tanks for contaminated water at the Tokyo Electric Power Company's (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, in Okuma of Fukushima prefecture in 20 January 2023. Photo: Philip Fong / AFP The United Nations (UN) human rights experts have written to the Japanese government to express their concerns about the release of more than one million metric tonnes of treated nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. In August 2023, Japan began discharging wastewaster from about 1000 storage tanks of contaminated water collected after the earthquake and tsunami in 2011 that caused the meltdown of its Fukushima nuclear plant. In the formal communication, available publicly , UN Human Rights Council special rappoteurs addressed the the management of Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS)-treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) by the Japan government and TEPCO (Tokio Electric Power), and the ongoing discharge of such waters into the Pacific Ocean. They said "we are alarmed that the implementation of contaminated water release operations of into the ocean may pose major environmental and human rights risks, exposing people, especially children, to threats of further contamination in Japan and beyond." "We wish to raise our concern about the allegations of the failure to assess the consequences on health of the release of wastewater against the best available scientific evidence," the special rappoteurs write. "Against this backdrop, we would like to highlight that the threats to the enjoyment of the right to adequate food do not concern only local people within the borders of Japan. "Given the migratory nature of fish, their contamination represents a risk also for people living beyond the Japanese borders, including Indigenous Peoples across the Pacific Ocean which, according to their culture and traditions, mainly rely on seafood as their primary livelihood." The letter follows a complaint submitted by Ocean Vision Legal in August 2023 on behalf of the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) and endorsed by over 50 civil society groups in the Pacific and beyond. In a statement on Tuesday, PANG hailed it as "a landmark move for ocean justice and human rights". The organisation said that the destructive legacy of nuclear contamination through nuclear testing is still strongly felt across the region. It said this legacy is marked by severe health impacts across generations and the ongoing failure to properly clean up test sites, which continue to contaminate the islands and waterways that Pacific peoples depend on. "As Pacific groups, we remain disappointed in the Japanese Government and TEPCO's shameless disregard of the calls by numerous Pacific leaders and civil society groups to hold off on any further release," PANG's coordinator Joey Tau said. "Their ignorance constitutes a brazen threat to Pacific peoples' livelihoods, safety, health and well-being, and the sovereignty of Pacific nations," he added. Joey Tau Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis Japan has consistently maintained that the release is safe. The UN human rights experts have asked for further information from Japan, including on the allegations raised, and on how the Radiological Environmental Impact Assessment has been conducted according to the best available scientific evidence. This communication sends a clear message: Ocean issues must be understood as human rights issues, requiring precautionary and informed action aligned with international environmental law to safeguard both people and the marine environment. Ocean Vision Legal founder and CEO Anna von Rebay said while the communication is not legally binding, it is a crucial milestone. "It informs the interpretation of human rights and environmental law in response to contemporary threats, contributing to the development of customary international law and strengthens accountability for any actor harming the Ocean," she said. "Ultimately, it paves the way towards a future where the Ocean's health is fully recognised as fundamental to human dignity, justice, and intergenerational equity."
The Star
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
South-East Asian gathering aims to develop a Regional Action Plan to tackle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear challenges
In this picture taken on July 27, 2018, a staff member of Tokyo Electric Power Company measures radiation levels around the storage tanks of radiation-contaminated water at the tsunami-crippled Tokyo Electric Power Company Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima prefecture. National representatives and experts from South-East Asian partner countries are sharing progress on risk mitigation efforts and cooperation opportunities. - AFP VIENTIANE: The European Union Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence Initiative (EU CBRN CoE) is holding its 24th National Focal Points Regional Strategic Coordination Meeting for South-East Asia in Vientiane from April 28-30. The meeting brings together national representatives and experts from South-East Asian partner countries to share progress on CBRN risk mitigation efforts, assess ongoing EU-supported initiatives, and explore regional cooperation opportunities. The gathering is supported by the European Union and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI). The event opened with welcoming remarks from Laos' Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maythong Thammavongsa; Ambassador of the European Union to Laos, Mark Gallagher; and Undersecretary Florece Bernardo Jr., Head of the Secretariat for the EU CBRN CoE in South-East Asia. Maythong said the objective of the meeting was to provide updates on the Regional Secretariat's and partner countries' latest activities, exchange ideas on potential future regional projects, and discuss progress on the national implementation of CBRN National Action Plans. 'Additionally, we will have the opportunity to learn from international and regional experts, who will share insights into new regional projects. We will also explore potential areas for further cooperation and various assistance programmes under the EU CBRN CoE projects,' he added. Laos has benefited from projects implemented under the EU CBRN CoE in the past. These include the Sound Management of Chemicals and Their Associated Wastes in South-East Asia (2017-2023); On-Site Technical Support to the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Regional Secretariats (2018-2024); Export Control Programme for Dual-Use Goods in South-East Asia (2021-2024); and Enhanced Biosecurity in South-East Asia (2019-2025). Currently, Laos is implementing activities under a project titled On-Site Technical Assistance to the EU CBRN Centres of Excellence Regional Secretariats (2023-2026). Looking ahead, Laos will share in new projects under the EU CBRN CoE initiative, such as Strengthening CBRN Medical Emergency Preparedness and Response in South-East Asia (2025-2027); and CBRN Tabletop and Field Exercises, Simulations, and Training to Mitigate Risks (2025-2027). Participants presented updates on their respective countries' activities and achievements related to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risk reduction, as well as plans for 2025. The meeting also highlighted continued progress in implementing CBRN National Action Plans and discussed strategic priorities for capacity building. A key focus of the meeting is a proposal to develop a Regional Action Plan—an initiative aimed at enhancing regional collaboration on shared chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear challenges, including emerging threats, emergency preparedness, and crisis communication. In commemoration of the EU CBRN CoE's 15th anniversary, attendees reflected on over a decade of successful collaboration since the programme's inception in 2010. Discussions underscored the importance of fostering deeper regional and international partnerships to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, whether they are deliberate, accidental, or natural. - Vientiane Times/ANN
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Second Fukushima debris removal trial complete
A tricky operation to remove a second sample of radioactive debris from inside Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant has been completed, the site operator said on Wednesday (April 23, 2025). Dangerously high radiation levels mean that removing melted fuel and other debris from the plant hit by a huge tsunami in 2011 is seen as the most daunting challenge in the decades-long decommissioning project. Around 880 tonnes of hazardous material are inside the power station — the site of one of history's worst nuclear accidents after the tsunami, which was triggered by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake. Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said its second trial debris removal operation, which began just over a week ago, 'has been completed' as of Wednesday (April 23) morning. The debris was 'removed from a different location from the previous sampling location' to better understand the material's 'characteristics and distribution', government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters. TEPCO completed its first trial removal, using a specially developed extendible device, in November. That first sample weighing just under 0.7 grams (0.02 ounces) — roughly equivalent to one raisin — was delivered to a research lab near Tokyo for analysis. 'Detailed analysis of the debris collected in the first sampling' will inform future decommissioning work as TEPCO studies how to conduct a 'full-scale removal', Mr. Hayashi said. U.S. nuclear expert Lake Barrett, a special advisor to Japan on the Fukushima clean-up, told AFP that removing more debris would be challenging but not impossible. 'We're going to find all of these complexities of almost a witch's brew down underneath there' in the reactors, Mr. Barrett said. 'They've got to develop robots we've never done before. But the fundamentals are there for the technology to do it.' Three of Fukushima's six reactors went into meltdown in 2011 after the huge tsunami swamped the facility. In 2023, Japan began releasing into the Pacific Ocean some of the 540 Olympic swimming pools' worth of treated wastewater that had been collected at the plant. The move was endorsed by the International Atomic Energy Agency but China banned Japanese seafood imports as a result, and Russia later followed suit. This month China said it had found no abnormalities in seawater and marine life samples that it independently collected near the Fukushima plant in February, but Beijing indicated more tests would be needed before it lifts the ban.
The Independent
16-04-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Fukushima robot begins second attempt to retrieve melted nuclear fuel
A robot has begun its second attempt to extract melted nuclear fuel from one of the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan, as part of a long and complex decommissioning effort following the 2011 nuclear disaster. On Tuesday, Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) launched the latest mission at the plant's No 2 reactor, aiming to retrieve a fresh sample of radioactive debris from closer to the core. The effort builds on a first trial run conducted in November last year, which successfully extracted a tiny amount of debris–less than a gram–for analysis. The robotic system, known as 'Telesco', is equipped with extendable arms, cameras, and a gripping tool designed to function in high-radiation zones. Inserted through a narrow passage, the device will manoeuvre up to 22m inside the reactor's primary containment vessel. It is expected to take up to 12 days for the robot's tip to reach the new target location. This second operation is focused on retrieving material from one to two metres closer to the reactor's centre, where more of the molten fuel is believed to have accumulated during the triple meltdown caused by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The disaster triggered one of the worst nuclear accidents in history, leaving around 880 tonnes of radioactive fuel debris across three reactors. The sample from the previous mission, which was roughly the size of a raisin, revealed traces of uranium, zirconium and other materials used in nuclear fuel. However, scientists say further sampling is required to gain a fuller understanding of the debris composition and distribution inside the damaged reactors. The ultimate aim is to develop the technology and techniques needed for large-scale fuel removal, set to begin in the 2030s at the No 3 reactor. Tepco says it may revert to collecting a sample from the previous location if the robot is unable to reach the deeper site due to obstructions. Tepco last year confirmed that the telescopic retrieval system is being upgraded since its first use, with a new camera to improve visibility and increased stability for the tip section. Preparatory work in March included intensive worker training to check the order of the pipes and camera issues that delayed the earlier mission by several months. The decommissioning process is expected to last decades, with some experts warning it could take more than a century due to the extreme radiation levels and technical complexity involved. Robots, last month also began removing radiation-soaked sandbags from underground areas of two reactor buildings. In 2023, Japan started releasing treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean —equivalent to the volume of 540 Olympic-sized swimming pools. While the International Atomic Energy Agency backed the move, it prompted China and Russia to ban Japanese seafood imports. China has since reported no abnormalities in seawater or marine life near Fukushima, though it continues to enforce the ban pending further tests.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Robot starts second mission to retrieve debris at Fukushima nuclear plant
A remote-controlled robot has embarked on its second mission to retrieve tiny bits of melted fuel debris from inside a damaged reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant that was wrecked by a tsunami 14 years ago. The mission, which follows the first such debris retrieval in November, is aimed at eventually developing the technology and robots needed for a larger scale clean-up of the plant, destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The extendable 'Telesco' robot carries cameras and a tong to grip tiny nuggets of radioactive debris. It entered the No 2 reactor's primary containment vessel on Tuesday, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company. This time, the company aims to send the robot further into the containment vessel to get a sample from an area closer to the centre where more melted fuel is believed to have fallen. It is expected to take several days before the front tip of the robot reaches the targeted area, where it will lower a device carrying a tong and camera in a fishing-rod style. That first sample retrieval in November, despite a number of mishaps, was a crucial step in what will be a daunting, decades-long decommissioning that must deal with at least 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel that has mixed with broken parts of internal structures and other debris inside the three reactors ruined in 2011. After a series of small missions by robots to gather samples, experts will determine a larger-scale method for removing melted fuel, first at the No 3 reactor, beginning in the 2030s. Experts say the huge challenge of decommissioning the plant is just beginning, and that the work could take more than a century.
