It looks like next year will bring much of the same bull as last year, thanks to folks like Arnie Gundersen.
Let's dig in!
First, neither the Japanese government nor the IAEA said Fukushima is over. They said the accident was stable. A greater degree of control has been achieved since the start of the accident. No one is saying conditions are as they were before the original earthquake/tsunami.
Second, everyone is conscious about what may happen in the event of another earthquake.
Thirdly, the cancer risk increase is hardly "dramatic", except in a few cases. 0.1 Sv equates to about a 1% increase in risk above a background risk of about 42%.
Fourth, not Kaltofen again.
Fifth, and not Wing again.
Sixth, regarding the 2,000 mrem annual government limit...certainly there is a benefit to the Japanese citizens to return home. It's no fun being displaced and there will be those who have lost their jobs as a result of the displacement. The government isn't forcing anyone to return, so anyone who chooses not to, needn't. This limit is consistent IAEA recommendations, and the government will be decontaminating elevated radioactivity levels over time.
Seventh...that tarp sounds scary at 90,000 dps/kg!!!! Run!!! Run!!! The average person has about 8,000 dps/kg of natural radioactive potassium and carbon in their bodies. The tarp is just ten times more radioactive than a person. Hardly frightening. Obviously, the tarp is contaminated primarily with cesium, but it's not as if children are rolling around in it or eating it.
Eighth...we incinerate radioactive waste in the U.S. as do other countries. It's not unique to Japan. Arnie worries about the huge volumes of waste, but when the Japanese make efforts to reduce the volume (via incineration), Arnie worries about that too. The Japanese are free to dump their waste where they decide. In the U.S. we have made our decisions.
Ninth. The London Dumping Convention does not cover disposal from land based sources. It also doesn't consider "sea" to mean a State's internal waters. And if the radioactivity concentrations are less than IAEA de minimis values, it's not considered radioactive. If Japan decides it is necessary to use Tokyo Bay, they will do so in consultation with the IAEA, IMO, and other international agencies as they have done up until now. They are not some rogue state. (Nor is the IAEA some rogue agency).
Tenth. You gotta love the irony regarding "follow the money" after which Arnie asks for money. You just can't make this stuff up!
Eleventh. Arnie, how about a New Year's resolution to stop fear mongering?
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