Archive for the 'Environment' Category
Japan: Greenpeace Finds High Levels of Radiation Outside of Exclusion Zone
March 30th, 2011Update: IAEA: Evacuation Zone Zone Should Be Extended Via: Reuters: Radiation measured at a village 40 km from Japan’s crippled nuclear plant exceeded a criterion for evacuation, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday, the latest sign of widening consequences from the crisis. The finding could increase pressure on Japan’s government to extend the exclusion […]
Chinese Battery Factory Cataclysms; Lead in the Soil and Groundwater
March 28th, 2011Since beginning its transition 30 years ago, China’s economic development has been miraculous. —World Bank Via: Reuters: The general manager of a battery plant in eastern China faces environmental pollution charges after lead emissions from the plant poisoned nearly 170 villagers, including 53 children, state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday. Ying Jianguo, manager at […]
Japanese Government Asks Water Treatment Plants Not to Take in Rainwater Due to Radiation
March 27th, 2011Via: Kyodo: The health ministry has instructed the operator of water purification plants nationwide to temporarily stop taking in rainwater to prevent contamination in tap water following radiation leaks from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, ministry officials said Sunday. While calling on the plants to ensure stable supply of tap water, the Ministry of […]
Radiation in Water at Fukushima Daiichi Reactor 2: Ten Million Times Normal
March 27th, 2011Update: Proof of Partial Meltdown Duh. Via: Deutsche Welle: TEPCO did retract on Sunday a previous announcement that the radiation in the water was 10 million times higher than normal, saying the mistake was due to confusion between readings of iodine and cobalt in the water. The operator did not retract the 1,000 millisieverts figure. […]
Radiation Beyond Legal Limit Found in Mustard Spinach Grown in Tokyo
March 25th, 2011Can anyone point to good information that deals with the health implications of consuming radioactive fallout, as opposed to just being exposed to ionizing radiation? Obviously, these vegetables have not been irradiated directly, so fallout particles must be coming down in the form or dust and/or rain. All the government assurances of don’t worry, be […]
Worst Texas Drought in 44 Years Eroding Wheat, Beef Supply as Food Rallies
March 24th, 2011Via: Bloomberg: The worst Texas drought in 44 years is damaging the state’s wheat crop and forcing ranchers to reduce cattle herds, as rising demand for U.S. food sends grain and meat prices higher. Texas, the biggest U.S. cattle producer and second-largest winter-wheat grower, got just 4.7 inches (12 centimeters) of rain on average in […]
Pump Truck with Long Boom Headed to Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
March 24th, 2011…usually used for concrete pouring… Via: Xinhua: A Chinese-made pump truck with a long boom will leave Shanghai for Japan Tuesday after the owner of the troubled Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant requested it, according the vehicle’s manufacturer. The vehicle with a 62-meter boom is scheduled to be shipped Tuesday morning. It is expected to […]
Fukushima Engineer Says He Covered Up Flaw at Shut Reactor
March 23rd, 2011Via: Bloomberg: One of the reactors in the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant may have been relying on flawed steel to hold the radiation in its core, according to an engineer who helped build its containment vessel four decades ago. Mitsuhiko Tanaka says he helped conceal a manufacturing defect in the $250 million steel vessel installed […]
Japan: Monitoring Radiation Levels
March 21st, 2011A reader asked if I had any suggestions for monitoring radiation levels in Japan. I have no idea how accurate any of this is, but here are the sites I’ve been watching: http://www.bousai.ne.jp/eng/ http://www.stubbytour.com/nuc/index_en.asp Tokyo only: http://park30.wakwak.com/~weather/geiger_index.html (mirror)
Switzerland Moves Embassy from Tokyo to Osaka
March 21st, 2011Via: Swiss Info: Switzerland has announced that its embassy in Tokyo has been transferred to Osaka, 600 km south of the Japanese capital. A foreign ministry statement said the temporary move had been made because of the “uncertain situation” in Tokyo, and in particular around the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant. The ministry said the embassy […]
