日本消費者連盟
すこやかないのちを未来へ
Sound and Healthy Future for Our Children

Pollution Problems In Tohoku Need More Attention

Writers Winnifred Bird and Elizabeth Grossman has written a very interesting article about the pollution issues and potential health effects in Tohoku. They note that damage to the region’s industrial facilities has been extensive:

Oil refineries burst into flames in the days after the disaster, sending black smoke billowing into the air. Sewer and gas lines burst, and old electrical equipment containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was washed away. Petro- and agrochemical plants, iron foundries, steel works, and automotive, electronics, food processing, paper, plastics, and pharmaceutical plants were among those that suffered damage. As cleanup continues in the disaster area, questions remain about the fate of chemical contaminants released by these damaged industrial facilities and other sources, and the environmental health hazards they might pose to the hundreds of thousands of people living and working in this area.

Read the entire report for more details.

Bird WA, Grossman E, 2011 Chemical Aftermath: Contamination and Cleanup Following the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami. Environ Health Perspect 119(7). (July 1, 2011)
http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.119-a290

By fridfrid | 13/07/2011 | Chemical pollution, Waste |

Action June 11: No Nuclear Power

June 11 marks three months after the Fukushima nuclear disaster triggered by the earthquake and tsunami. The plants are still spewing radioactive materials. No one wants such dirty electricity harmful to human and nature.

Join us on June 11, 2011 with the million-people action throughout the world and let our voices be heard.

Consumers Union of Japan will be at Shiba Park in Tokyo, for the event starting at 13:00PM. The parade will start at 14:30PM.

For more information: Action June 11: No Nuclear Power

Those who have organized anti-nuclear protests in Tokyo and the organizations called e-shift and Fukushima Genpatsu Jiko Kinkyu Kaigi (Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Emergency Congress) are jointly calling citizens of not just Japan but the world for the action against nuclear power on the day of the three-month-anniversary of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.

By fridfrid | 08/06/2011 | Nuclear |

Useful Links For Updates On The Nuclear Issue In Fukushima, Japan

Here are some useful websites with information and updates in English about the ongoing nuclear crisis in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan:

NGO:

Green Action Japan: Fukushima Update

Citizen`s Nuclear Information Center (CNIC): Fukushima Nuclear Earthquake Disaster

Nautilus Institute March 17, 2011 Report (pdf file): After the Deluge

Union of Concerned Scientists (blog): All Things Nuclear

Government:

Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) (food and water data)

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Inustry (METI)

French National Institute SIROCCO: Coastal Ocean Modelling (Japan Model)

Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU): Fukushima potential releases of radioactive materials in the air (computer graphic models)

Industry:

TEPCO (apologies, status reports, rolling blackout schedules, etc.)

Note:

In Japan, the official information has been rather scarce. Many people are relying on data and models from institutes and NGOs abroad to check and confirm the official data. We continue to appreciate your support and encouragement.

By fridfrid | 06/04/2011 | Nuclear |

The Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster

Consumers Union of Japan, Green Action, and the local anti-nuclear group in Fukushima have started a project to measure radiation in the Tohoku region of Japan.

April 2, 2011

The Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster

—Press_Release
—Measurement of Radiation at Elementary Schools (Report)
—Radiation Monitoring Results (Table)
—Letter to the governor of Fukushima

“Given that there is little time until school entrance ceremonies, investigations must be started most urgently in order to secure the safety and peace of mind of the children.”

Issued by:
The Fukushima Conference for Recovery from the Nuclear-Earthquake Disaster
37-1 Watari-aza-Shichishanomiya, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture,
Japan

Representative: Seiichi Nakate, Mobile phone: 080-1678-5562 (Japanese Only)
(For inquiries in English, contact Kazumasa Aoki: 090-7245-7761)

English website

Japanese website

By fridfrid | 06/04/2011 | Nuclear |

Food Contaminated by Radioactive Substances

To: Food Safety Commission

From: Food Safety Citizens Watch & Consumers Union of Japan

March 24, 2011

 

Regarding Limits for Radioactive Substances in Food

On March 20, Japan’s Food Safety Commission received a request from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for opinions regarding regulation limits for radioactive materials in the Food Sanitation Law. A meeting to discuss the levels was held on March 23, 2011, and it was decided that decisions would be made within one week.

We regard this as a very important issue from the perspective of public health and we request that you take note of and carefully evaluate the following points:

1. It must be assumed that radioactive cesium and radioactive iodine are carcinogens.

2. The long-term effects on internal organs and the body must be considered.

3. We respectfully ask you to refer to the WHO guidelines for environmental disasters and health (2003) and the Codex Alimentarius report on common criteria concerning pollutants and toxins in food and feed.

4. Also, specifically regarding drinking water, please refer to the WHO guidelines for environmental disasters and health (2003).

5. Exposure to infants from mother’s milk should be considered.

6. The accumulation of radioactive substances from water pollution in the feeding chain should be considered.

7. Soil contamination should be considered.

8. The evaluation should continue even after the current emergency situation ends.

Furthermore, we are concerned that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare should have consulted with the Food Safety Commission before setting provisional regulation levels for the radioactive substances (including cesium, iodine, uranium and plutonium) in food. These levels were temporarily set on March 17, 2011 (see link below) without prior consultation.

We request that you reflect on why no regulation limits have been set for radioactive substances until now.

Link: MHLW Press Release March 17, 2011: Handling of food contaminated by radioactivity (pdf)

By fridfrid | 30/03/2011 | Chemical pollution, Food, Nuclear |