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"There’s a very clear link between our health and the health of our oceans. Human health and environmental health are tied together.”
- Professor Bob Richmond, University of Hawaii
Last First Fridays Webinar we heard why scientists, government leaders, and public health experts are concerned about the recent release of radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean. Two prominent experts, Dr. Bob Richmond and Dr. Tim Mousseau, delved into the environmental impacts of Japan's on-going plan to release radioactive contaminants (tritium, cesium-137, strontium-90) into the water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.
Key takeaways from the discussion included:
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Environmental Concerns: Tritium, a radioactive hydrogen, is associated with long-term health risks and cancer.
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Data Deficiency: The scientific analysis provided by the Japanese power company, TEPCO, lacks scientific rigor and consistency, lending to concerns about the accuracy of the information.
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Legal and International Ramifications: Japan's decision to release the wastewater contaminated with radioactivity has raised serious questions about international laws of the ocean. Legal action is being considered.
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Precautionary Approach: The experts urged global collaboration and apply the ‘precautionary principle’, or to err on the side of caution to prevent future environmental threats from the Fukushima disaster.
To learn more about the radioactive contaminants (tritium, cesium-137, strontium-90), and alternative solutions to releases of radioactive wastewater, check out these additional resources:
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