*[Enwl-eng] [press-release] Fukushima nuclear disaster to impactfor hundreds of year - new Greenpeace research
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Mar 4, 2016, 6:50:14 PM3/4/16
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Dear journalists and editors,
Communications Hub Manager, Asia Pacific | Greenpeace East Asia
-- Greenpeace Japan today releases a comprehensive report into the ecological
impacts of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, five years on, as well as unreleased
UAV and underwater footage of the radiation investigations. The findings are based on independent studies and
Greenpeace's own investigation - some of which are ongoing.
The new UAV and underwater clip reel and photos can be accessed here and here. These images
offer a rare glimpse into the contamination site (from a UAV) around Iitate
village, as well as high-tech underwater sampling Greenpeace is conducting with
independent scientists from Japan and France.
For questions on this or to walk through the report with the author, please
get in touch.
Best regards,
Chisato and Tristan
--------------------
Fukushima nuclear disaster will impact forests, rivers and estuaries for
hundreds of years, warns Greenpeace report
Tokyo, 4 March 2016 - The environmental impacts of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster will last decades to centuries, warns a new Greenpeace Japan report. Man-made, long-lived radioactive elements are absorbed into the living tissues of plants and animals and recycled through food webs, and carried downstream to the Pacific Ocean by typhoons, snowmelt, and flooding.
“The government’s massive decontamination program will have almost no impact on reducing the ecological threat from the enormous amount of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Already, over 9 million cubic metres of nuclear waste are scattered over at least 113,000 locations across Fukushima prefecture,” said Kendra Ulrich, Senior Nuclear Campaigner at Greenpeace Japan.
“The Abe government is perpetuating a myth that five years after the start of the nuclear accident the situation is returning to normal. The evidence exposes this as political rhetoric, not scientific fact. And unfortunately for the victims, this means they are being told it is safe to return to environments where radiation levels are often still too high and are surrounded by heavy contamination.”
The report is based on a large body of independent scientific research in impacted areas in the Fukushima region, as well as investigations by Greenpeace radiation specialists over the past five years. It exposes deeply flawed assumptions by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Abe government in terms of both decontamination and ecosystem risks. It further draws on research on the environmental impact of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe as an indication of the potential future for contaminated areas in Japan.
The environmental impacts are already becoming apparent, with studies showing:
Greenpeace has conducted 25 radiological investigations in Fukushima since March 2011. In 2015, it focused on the contamination of forested mountains in Iitate district, northwest of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Both Greenpeace and independent research have shown the movement of radioactivity from contaminated mountain watersheds, which can then enter coastal ecosystems. The Abukuma, one of Japan’s largest rivers which flows largely through Fukushima prefecture, is projected to discharge 111 TBq of 137Cs and 44 TBq of 134Cs, in the 100 years after the accident.
Currently, a Greenpeace Japan led research team is investigating the radiation contamination of the ocean and river estuary sediments along the coastline of Fukushima. The underwater investigation is being conducted from a Japanese research vessel, supported by the Greenpeace ship, the Rainbow Warrior. The Fukushima disaster is the single largest release of radioactivity into the ocean and one of only two Level 7 nuclear disasters in world history - the other being Chernobyl.
Notes to editors:
[1] The report: “Radiation Reloaded: Ecological Impacts of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident – 5 years on”
Tokyo, 4 March 2016 - The environmental impacts of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster will last decades to centuries, warns a new Greenpeace Japan report. Man-made, long-lived radioactive elements are absorbed into the living tissues of plants and animals and recycled through food webs, and carried downstream to the Pacific Ocean by typhoons, snowmelt, and flooding.
“The government’s massive decontamination program will have almost no impact on reducing the ecological threat from the enormous amount of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Already, over 9 million cubic metres of nuclear waste are scattered over at least 113,000 locations across Fukushima prefecture,” said Kendra Ulrich, Senior Nuclear Campaigner at Greenpeace Japan.
“The Abe government is perpetuating a myth that five years after the start of the nuclear accident the situation is returning to normal. The evidence exposes this as political rhetoric, not scientific fact. And unfortunately for the victims, this means they are being told it is safe to return to environments where radiation levels are often still too high and are surrounded by heavy contamination.”
The report is based on a large body of independent scientific research in impacted areas in the Fukushima region, as well as investigations by Greenpeace radiation specialists over the past five years. It exposes deeply flawed assumptions by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Abe government in terms of both decontamination and ecosystem risks. It further draws on research on the environmental impact of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe as an indication of the potential future for contaminated areas in Japan.
The environmental impacts are already becoming apparent, with studies showing:
- High radiation concentrations in new leaves, and at least in the case of cedar, in pollen;
- apparent increases in growth mutations of fir trees with rising radiation levels;
- heritable mutations in pale blue grass butterfly populations and DNA-damaged worms in highly contaminated areas, as well as apparent reduced fertility in barn swallows;
- decreases in the abundance of 57 bird species with higher radiation levels over a four year study; and
- high levels of caesium contamination in commercially important freshwater fish; and radiological contamination of one of the most important ecosystems – coastal estuaries.
Greenpeace has conducted 25 radiological investigations in Fukushima since March 2011. In 2015, it focused on the contamination of forested mountains in Iitate district, northwest of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Both Greenpeace and independent research have shown the movement of radioactivity from contaminated mountain watersheds, which can then enter coastal ecosystems. The Abukuma, one of Japan’s largest rivers which flows largely through Fukushima prefecture, is projected to discharge 111 TBq of 137Cs and 44 TBq of 134Cs, in the 100 years after the accident.
Currently, a Greenpeace Japan led research team is investigating the radiation contamination of the ocean and river estuary sediments along the coastline of Fukushima. The underwater investigation is being conducted from a Japanese research vessel, supported by the Greenpeace ship, the Rainbow Warrior. The Fukushima disaster is the single largest release of radioactivity into the ocean and one of only two Level 7 nuclear disasters in world history - the other being Chernobyl.
Notes to editors:
[1] The report: “Radiation Reloaded: Ecological Impacts of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident – 5 years on”
[2] More information on the campaign in Japan can be found here: www.greenpeace.org/japan/erj/
[3] PHOTO: Full
collection of images of the research and underwater marine
research
[4] VIDEO: News clip reel of underwater, estuary and drone footage of contamination sites can be accessed
Media contacts:
Kendra Ulrich, Senior Global Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Japan, kendra...@greenpeace.org, +81 9064 785 408
Chisato Jono, Communications Officer, Greenpeace Japan, email: chisat...@greenpeace.org, mob: +81 (0)80-6558-4446
Greenpeace International Press Desk, pressd...@greenpeace.org, phone: +31 (0) 20 718 2470(available 24 hours)
[4] VIDEO: News clip reel of underwater, estuary and drone footage of contamination sites can be accessed
Media contacts:
Kendra Ulrich, Senior Global Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Japan, kendra...@greenpeace.org, +81 9064 785 408
Chisato Jono, Communications Officer, Greenpeace Japan, email: chisat...@greenpeace.org, mob: +81 (0)80-6558-4446
Greenpeace International Press Desk, pressd...@greenpeace.org, phone: +31 (0) 20 718 2470(available 24 hours)
---
Tristan Tremschnig Communications Hub Manager, Asia Pacific | Greenpeace East Asia
Usual mobile number : +852 97123301
(Hong Kong) | Email: tristan.t...@greenpeace.org | Skype: cuisiteng
*Based in Hong Kong
Press desk hotline: +31 20 718 2470
Press desk email: pressd...@greenpeace.org
Hub requests (internal): global-c...@greenpeace.org
From: Tristan Tremschnig
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2016 8:30 AM
Subject: [press-release] Fukushima nuclear disaster to impact for
hundreds of year - new Greenpeace research
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