Sunday, January 6, 2013

FUKUSHIMA UNAWNSWERED QUESTIONS




HOW MUCH RADIATION WAS RELEASED ATMOSPHERICALLY AND INTO THE OCEAN?

HOW CONTAMINATED ARE THE SOIL, WATER, AND FOOD SUPPLY OF JAPAN AND OTHER NATIONS IMPACTED BY FALLOUT?

HOW MUCH RADIATION IS STILL BEING RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND OCEAN?

HOW FREQUENTLY ARE TRANSIENT CRITICALITIES OCCURRING AT DAICHI?

WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF ANOTHER VERY LARGE RELEASE?

WILL THE RELATIVELY SLOW RELEASE ACROSS TIME BE AS DEADLY IN THE LONG RUN?

WHAT EFFECTS ARE PREDICTED BY THOSE WHO HAVE RELIABLE AND VALID DATA ON TOTAL AND ONGOING RELEASES?

HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THE CURRENT RISK MODELS PRESUMABLY INFORMING THOSE WHO HAVE THE DATA?

HOW WILL POPULATION RISKS REALLY INCREASE ACROSS TIME?   

This last question has been driving my inquiry but the answer is not clear. 

Actual deposition data are few and the existing empirical studies offer only a snapshot, usually dating from mid 2011. Lack of knowledge about contamination and bio-accumulation may actually increase present and future risks as populations fail to avoid contamination sources.

Who shoulders the risk of Fukushima and other genotoxic sources produced through human engineering and accidents? Ultimately it is individuals who will suffer the externalities of radiation accidents, among other environmental catastrophes. 

The young and the poor typically suffer the most as they are most vulnerable to the biological and economic effects of environmental insults. The long-term effects of the yet-to-be-born can be denied for years until effects are unmistakable at clinical levels. Still, years will pass as empirical evidence is collected, analyzed and published establishing significant levels of harm. It will be too late for those effected and perhaps too late for their children as well.

So, WHILE THE FREQUENCY, RANGE, AND GENERATIONAL DURATION OF FUKUSHIMA EFFECTS REMAIN UNDISCLOSED, 

IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT THE MAJORITY OF RISK HAS BEEN SHIFTED FROM  TEPCO AND THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN AND ELSEWHERE IMPACTED BY THIS HUMAN-CAUSED DISASTER. 


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