12-06-2013, 10:13 AM
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Apocalypse
Industry Role:
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Limbo
Posts: 3,043
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Scientists downplay Fukushima radiation hazards
Quote:
Experts agree that the radiation from the Fukushima nuclear plant is an "environmental catastrophe," but it is only a fraction of the fallout from atmospheric nuclear tests carried out in the 1950s and 1960s, they say.
[...]
Since the disaster struck more than two-and-a-half-years ago, there has been widespread international criticism of the operators of the plant and the Japanese government, both for failures before the earthquake struck and errors made subsequently. But experts say that mankind has been living with far higher levels of nuclear contamination for more than half a century.
[...]
Dr. Aoyama's studies show that by 1970, an estimated 290 petabecquerels - an alarming 29 followed by 15 zeroes - of cesium fallout was in the north Pacific ocean from atmospheric weapons tests. In contrast, the direct discharge from Fukushima was around 3 petabecquerels, while the total atmospheric release - some 80 percent of which was deposited on the Pacific - came to some 15 petabecquerels.
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