Nuclear Power Isn't Clean; It's Dangerous

Among the many departures from the truth by opponents of the Kyoto protocol, one of the most invidious is that nuclear power is “clean” and, therefore, the answer to global warming.

We heard this during the last round of talks in Bonn, and we can expect to hear more of the same as we move closer to the next round of Kyoto talks that are coming up in Marrakesh in October and November.

However, the cleanliness of nuclear power is nonsense. Not only does it contaminate the planet with long-lived radioactive waste, it significantly contributes to global warming.

While it is claimed that there is little or no fossil fuel used in producing nuclear power, the reality is that enormous quantities of fossil fuel are used to mine, mill and enrich the uranium needed to fuel a nuclear power plant, as well as to construct the enormous concrete reactor itself.

Indeed, a nuclear power plant must operate for 18 years before producing one net calorie of energy. (During the 1970s the United States deployed seven 1,000-megawatt coal-fired plants to enrich its uranium, and it is still using coal to enrich much of the world’s uranium.) So, to recoup the equivalent of the amount of fossil fuel used in preparation and construction before the first switch is thrown to initiate nuclear fission, the plant must operate for almost two decades.

But that is not the end of fossil fuel use because disassembling nuclear plants at the end of their 30- to 40-year operating life will require yet more vast quantities of energy. Taking apart, piece by radioactive piece, a nuclear reactor and its surrounding infrastructure is a massive operation: Imagine, for example, the amount of petrol, diesel, and electricity that would be used if the Sydney Opera House were to be dismantled. That’s the scale we’re talking about.

And that is not the end of fossil use because much will also be required for the final transport and longterm storage of nuclear waste generated by every reactor.

From a medical perspective, nuclear waste threatens global health. The toxicity of many elements in this radioactive mess is long-lived.

Strontium 90, for example, is tasteless, odorless, and invisible and remains radioactive for 600 years. Concentrating in the food chain, it emulates the mineral calcium. Contaminated milk enters the body, where strontium 90 concentrates in bones and lactating breasts later to cause bone cancer, leukemia, and breast cancer. Babies and children are 10 to 20 times more susceptible to the carcinogenic effects of radiation than adults.

Plutonium, the most significant element in nuclear waste, is so carcinogenic that hypothetically half a kilo evenly distributed could cause cancer in everyone on Earth.

Lasting for half a million years, it enters the body through the lungs where it is known to cause cancer. It mimics iron in the body, migrating to bones, where it can induce bone cancer or leukemia, and to the liver, where it can cause primary liver cancer. It crosses the placenta into the embryo and, like the drug thalidomide, causes gross birth deformities.

Finally, plutonium has a predilection for the testicles, where it induces genetic mutations in the sperm of humans and other animals that are passed on from generation to generation.

Significantly, five kilos of plutonium is fuel for a nuclear weapon. Thus far, nuclear power has generated about 1,139 tons of plutonium.

So, nuclear power adds to global warming, increases the burden of radioactive materials in the ecosphere and threatens to contribute to nuclear proliferation. No doubt the Australian government is keen to assist the uranium industry, but the immorality of its position is unforgivable.

1:47 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Japan Nuclear Ensure No Leaks

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan ensure that no  nuclear  leakage  from a nuclear reactor after the earthquake and tsunami,  however, all of reactors near the epicenter  to temporarily  shut down  for security.

"I ask all citizens to calm down, but still continue to monitor the information via radio and television," said Naoto Kan as reported by the AFP news agency.

Although there are no leaks, the government declared a state of emergency at one nuclear reactor in Fukushima. Reactor number one is experiencing some technical difficulties so the cooling system does not function after an earthquake. This is a nuclear emergency decision for the first time the Japanese.

"We have taken steps to anticipate the worst. We exert every effort to deal with situations like this, "Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary said Yukio Edano.

Fukushima is an area directly adjacent to the most severe disaster affected areas in Miyagi. In Miyagi, a fire occurred in the turbine of a nuclear reactor Onagawa. A nuclear reactor in Onagawa others also experience leakage in water storage facilities.

1:17 AM | 1 komentar | Read More

Japan's Nuclear Emergency Set

The Japanese government has set a nuclear emergency for one of its nuclear reactor in Fukushima, Tohoku, about 250 kilometers north of Tokyo. After an earthquake rocked with the power of 8.9 on the Richter scale, the nuclear reactor plant number 2 in Fukushima 1, which managed the Tokyo Electric Power Co. have problems in the cooling facility and should be turned off for security.

Although it has been turned off, the demise of the cooling system becomes a serious concern. Therefore, the nuclear reactor was turned off still require cooling process. To anticipate the worst, the government has asked residents near a nuclear reactor was evacuated to a safe radius.

"Orders have been announced to the entire population living in a radius of less than 3 kilometers to go away and anyone who was in a radius of three to ten miles were asked to stay indoors," said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yujio Edano as reported by AFP.

He said the orders for the evacuation was a precaution. Earlier, Prime Minister of Japan Naoto Kan has ensured there was no radiation leak at a nuclear reactor.

In addition to nuclear reactors in Fukushima, the problems are also experienced in other nuclear reactors in Miyagi, one of the most severely affected region in the northern Fukushima earthquake. In a nuclear reactor operated Onagawa Tohoku Electric Power, the fire was burning in a building separate from the reactor turbine. However, it does not cause problems in the reactors.

1:16 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Not as bad as Chernobyl Nuclear Leaks

Japanese nuclear experts to ensure potential radioactive  leaks  at one  nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan would not be as bad as a nuclear leak at Chernobyl, Russia. This report was reported by Al Jazeera,

"There will be no disaster at the Chernobyl reactor. Loss of carrying capacity of the cooling means rising temperatures, but it will also stop the reaction," said Naoto Sekimura, a professor at the University of Tokyo.

Earlier, Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission staff, Ryohei Shiomi, said that the leaking of nuclear reactors might occur. Reactor coolant system is not functioning after hit by an earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale (SR) yesterday that threatened to melt even been turned off.

The government had evacuated about thousands of Japanese citizens living in a radius of less than 10 kilometers from the reactor facility is problematic. The reactor was opened for direct exposure and cooling system was again functioning. However, there was an explosion and smoke was billowing. Reportedly some workers at nuclear reactors were injured.

1:14 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

This Disaster Strikes

Japanese government spokesman, Yukio Edano, say, a nuclear reactor leak did not result in high levels of radiation. However, the area within a radius of 10 km from Tepco already emptied. Barricades installed to prevent people approaching. Not long after that, blanking area expanded to 20 kilometers from the location Tepco, which is located in Fukushima Prefecture. The area within a radius of 20 km was dense population scattered in several villages and cities.

Yaroslov Shtrombakh, Russian nuclear experts, said the nuclear reactor leak was determined to be not as bad as had happened in Chernobyl, Russia, in 1986.

Paralyzed

Earthquake in Japan have caused a shift in the axis (axis) of the earth at the location of the quake as far as 25 feet and shift the position of the island of Honshu, Japan's main island, as far as 2.5 meters from the position before the earthquake.

This has caused many buildings cracked, but not completely destroyed, as happens in many countries are experiencing an earthquake and do not have the quality of such earthquake-resistant buildings in Japan. However, the shock of the quake was arrived at Beijing, China, which is 2092 km from Tokyo.

Narita International Airport in Tokyo was operating again on Saturday. However, airport services have not recovered 100 percent. The airport was closed overnight after the quake. The signs of visible damage caused by the earthquake in some corners of Narita Airport Terminal 2.

Flight schedules are also not fully recovered. In fact, most of the flights scheduled to arrive at Narita, Saturday morning until noon, canceled or postponed until an undetermined time. As a result, hundreds of passengers forced to stay and sleep in the airport until Saturday afternoon.

Passengers who had just arrived also piled up at the airport because they could not immediately leave the airport into downtown Tokyo. The main highway that connects downtown Tokyo and Narita Airport is still closed due to the earthquake so that the entire airport transportation bus services not operated until this Sunday.

The train being the only mainstay of cheap transportation to get to Tokyo, a distance of 80 kilometers from Narita. However, passengers queue becomes very long because of all the passengers were moved to this mode of transportation.

For those who have more money, a taxi be the only option even though the fare is very expensive, reaching approximately USD 2 million. The delegation invited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, including the Compass, was also forced to use taxis to attend nuclear disarmament campaign. It took more than 3 hours to reach the hotel in the Akasaka in downtown Tokyo, which usually can be taken no more than 2 hours.

The highway was still closed so that the taxi was forced to take the path marked by regular severe congestion everywhere. The delegation of former Vice President Jusuf Kalla take up to 12 hours to travel from Tokyo to Narita. "We did not move at all for 1.5 hours at the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo," said Jusuf Kalla's personal assistant, Yadi Jentak, Saturday morning.

Aftershocks continue to occur every few minutes that are felt at Narita Airport.

Midden

Kyodo news agency reported the quake caused the deaths of Japanese citizens in 1700 near the epicenter of the quake, off the coast not far from the city of Sendai. However, in the port city Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, there are 10,000 people who are not known to exist, according to television station NHK.

The rubble, including junk cars and collapsed buildings, not just hit the coast of Sendai, the city's most severe earthquake hit, but along the northeast coast of Honshu Island are also stacked debris. Residents simply can not walk because of beleaguered debris that covered most of the roads on the coast of Japan's main island.

Tsunami hit up to 10 km inland from the coastline of Honshu Island. The tsunami brought the stranded ships, collapsed houses, cars, trees, and anything to the mainland. "Brunt of the tsunami was so powerful and fast," said Koichi Takairin (34), a truck driver in Sendai.

More than 215,000 residents near the epicenter of the quake are now living in temporary shelters 1350 locations in five prefectures, as expressed Japan's National Police.

The earthquake caused one million households are not getting the flow of water, especially in northeastern Japan. In the region of about four million building also is not getting electricity.

"Everyone wants to get out of this area, but the roads closed because there are piles of debris," said Reiko Takagi, residents in northeastern Japan.

1:11 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

There was a bang on Nuclear Reactor

The sound of explosions were heard from  the nuclear  reactor  facility  Fukushima, Japan, the center received serious attention because of having problems after the earthquake rocked  yesterday. Soon the white smoke billowing and some workers were reported  injured.

Similarly, recent reports Reuters news agency quoted Japan's Jiji. Meanwhile, AFP reported several workers in nuclear power generation facilities are injured and the level of radioactivity in the surrounding rose to 20 times more than before. AP news Kntor government officials released a statement that it marks the reactor meltdown.

One nuclear reactor in Fukushima suffered damage to the cooling facility. Although it has been turned off, the reactor is still hot and has the potential to melt. The security forces have ordered 45 000 residents living within a radius of less than 10 miles to leave the premises. There is a risk of leakage of radiation from radioactive substances.

Previously, the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said that the cooling system has been restored. Atelah reactor heat is turned off but still had cooled directly exposed to the air.

1:09 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

The two nuclear power reactors Fukushima Probably Destroyed

The second reactor at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant  operated  Daiichi  Tokyo  Electric  Power  Co (Tepco) suspected to have partial destruction after the earthquake measuring 8.9  on the Richter scale on Friday.

The Japanese government has prepared an early precaution against the threat posed radiation. "partial collapse is very likely to happen. We did not directly examine the inside of the reactor, but we've taken steps with the assumption that the reactor suffered a partial collapse," said Edano told reporters.

Until this news was revealed, there is no information on the potential level of radiation caused by the possibility of such partial damage. No information is also related to an increase in discharge areas around nuclear power plants.

To date, 170,000 people in the area within a radius of 20 kilometers had been evacuated. Russian nuclear experts, Yaroslov Shtrombakh, say, a nuclear reactor leak was determined to be not as bad as had happened in Chernobyl, Russia, in 1986.

1:08 AM | 0 komentar | Read More

Facts About Acute Radiation Syndrome

Nuclear power plant in Fukushima Daiichi operated Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) dillaporkan leaking. Concerns about the dangers of radiation have prompted the Japanese government made a number of preventive efforts, including evacuating 170,000 people who live in the area in a radius of 20 kilometers from the location of nuclear power plants. How bahayakah exposure to nuclear radiation?

Based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., acute radiation syndrome or Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS), also known as radiation poisoning, is a serious disease. This can occur shortly after the body exposed to radiation. The level of suffering a person to radiation depends on how the amount of radiation absorbed by the body. Here are some facts regarding the acute radiation syndrome:

    * Someone said to suffer from acute radiation syndrome when radiation is absorbed into the internal organs. Radiation from X-rays and medical measures such as CT-scan was too low to cause a person exposed to acute radiation syndrome.
    * Someone said to suffer from acute radiation syndrome when he was exposed to radiation for some time. It could be in minutes.
    * Early symptoms can be felt a few minutes to several days after a person is exposed to radiation. These symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, and drunk or dizzy. These symptoms can take up a matter of days.
    * After the initial symptoms disappear, someone back in shape. However, shortly thereafter, the person will suffer again. In fact, this time worse. Symptoms may include fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. This stage can last for several months.
    * Damage to the skin due to radiation can occur within hours. This can last up to a matter of years, depending on how severe the person is exposed to radiation. The symptoms, skin feels sore and even feels like a burn. Hair loss can be due to radiation.
    * Exposure to radiation may lead to death, depending on severity. Typically, in many cases, death occurred several months after a person is exposed to radiation. Deaths caused by damage to bone marrow, infection, or bleeding.
    * Someone who survived the acute radiation syndrome can continue to feel the symptoms until two years after exposure.
    * The treatment is done for a person exposed to radiation consists of an act of prevention of further contamination, reduce the symptoms of the syndrome, and the healing of organs damaged by radiation.
    * Decontamination is the process of eliminating external contamination by radioactive particles. Decontamination can be off all clothes and shoes that used a person exposed to radiation. Body wash can also reduce the external contamination.

1:07 AM | 0 komentar | Read More