6/30/2011 Where those 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium contaminated waste were headed

Date: 6/30/2011

The following video from KOATV New Mexico (channel 7) reports on the WIPP (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant) 26 miles Southeast of Carlsbad, New Mexico: [1]


Los Alamos National Lab sends some it's nuclear waste here. The 30000 55-gallon drums of radioactive plutonium contaminated waste sitting above ground under cloth tents, as mentioned in various news stories, was/is slated to be delivered to this Carlsbad WIPP site. Quoting the AP:

...
The anti-nuclear watchdog group Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, however, said the fire appeared to be about 3 1/2 miles from a dumpsite where as many as 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste were stored in fabric tents above ground. The group said the drums were awaiting transport to a low-level radiation dump site in southern New Mexico.

Lab spokesman Steve Sandoval declined to confirm that there were any such drums currently on the property. He acknowledged that low-level waste is at times put in drums and regularly taken from the lab to the Waste Isolation Pilot Project site in Carlsbad. [2]
...

Sources:
[1] (Video) A Look At The WIPP Facility, KOATV New Mexico (Channel 7) YouTube Channel
[2] Wildfire shuts Los Alamos lab, forces evacuations, Associated Press

(Video) Monju fast-breeder reactor at Tsuruga, Japan

Date: 6/22/2011, 6/23/2011 upload dates

6/22/2011 RT: The Big Picture

Thom Hartman's article corresponding to this video reads:

...
Kevin Kamps, Nuclear Waste Watchdog at Beyond Nuclear joins Thom Hartmann. If Japan didn't have its hands full with one melted down nuclear plant at Fukushima - it certainly does now with another nuclear power plant on the verge of melting down. About 300 miles southwest of Fukushima sits the Monju nuclear reactor - a prototype fast-breeder reactor filled to the brim with plutonium - the deadliest element on the face of the planet. And last year - a 3 ton device of some sort fell into the Monju reactor blocking access to the nuclear fuel rods in the reactor core - and despite several attempts - has yet to be recovered. Another attempt will be made next week to clear the 3 ton object from the reactor - but critics caution that the procedure is extremely dangerous and could trigger an explosion in the nuclear fuel rods. One ominous sign of just how dangerous the situation is - a top manager at the plant just recently committed suicide. Think of the damaged Monju plant as a nuclear bomb just waiting to go off that could take out the city of Kyoto which is just 60 miles from the plant - and has a population of 1.5 million people. And Japan's largest city Tokyo is downwind from the crippled Monju plant. So what does this all mean? And what's the latest with the two nuclear plants that are in danger right here in the United States - in Nebraska?[1]
...

Since the Thom Hartman interview with Kevin Kamps, the 3.3 ton device they mention was successfully extracted per NHK World in an 8 hour procedure, without incident.
6/23/2011 NHK World


Although it is a relief to hear that no accidents happened as feared with the heavy machinery extraction process, now the Monju reactor can be re-started after a 14 year idle period. Per The Japan Times:

...
The agency hopes to resume test runs of the reactor at 40 percent of its output capacity by the end of March, aiming for full operation by the end of March 2014.[2]
...

The original premise behind the operation of the (some would argue extremely dangerous) reactor is recycling nuclear fuel. The drawback is that Monju is cooled with liquid sodium, which back in 1995 caused a serious nuclear accident (fire) with this particular reactor when the sodium leaked out in to open air.

Sources:
[1] Thom Hartmann: Second Japan Nuke... More Dangerous Than Fukushima?, truth-out.org
[2] Monju reactor unclogged for restart, The Japan Times

6/29/2011 Cesium 134 and 137 in Tokyo rooftop dust

Source: SAFECAST.jp
Date: 6/29/2011
by: Marco Kaltofen

This is a gamma spectrum of dust wiped from a Tokyo rooftop. The detector is located at Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Physics Department. The results are estimates because of the low weight of dust in the sample. The test found 51 +/- 17 kBq/Kg cesium-134 and 30 +/- 10 kBq/Kg cesium-137. This result is higher than for many soil samples around Greater Tokyo. This is expected since dust samples are less diluted by existing nonradioactive soil material. Not knowing the exact amount of surface area sampled, this measurement can not be directly compared to results given as Bq/square meter.

Gamma spectrum using WPI germanium detector

Almost all of the radioactivity in the sample is coming from cesium isotopes. Just as you would avoid breathing in dusts that contained lead or asbestos, one should avoid breathing in dusts that contain this much radiocesium. Parents are often advised to wash childrens’ hands to avoid ingesting lead in dust. This is also a good practice around dusts that contain radiocesium.

6/28/2011 Treatment for Radiation Poisoning

Source: Washington's Blog
Date: Tuesday, June 28, 2011

You've heard that potassium iodide helps protect against some types of radiation.

In fact, it only protects against iodine 131 poisoning (and, if not needed, may cause severe adverse reactions in some individuals).

But there are actually different treatments for different types of radiation.

The following chart provided by the Food and Drug Administration summarizes the treatments for exposure to various radioactive elements (click chart for better image):


Prussian blue is taken to minimize damage from cesium. As FDA notes:

The FDA has determined that the 500 mg Prussian blue capsules, when manufactured under the conditions of an approved New Drug Application (NDA), can be found safe and effective for the treatment of known or suspected internal contamination with radioactive cesium, radioactive thallium, or non-radioactive thallium. This decision is based on a careful review of published literature articles containing reports, data, and experiences of people who were exposed to high levels of thallium or cesium-137 and were treated effectively with Prussian blue.

***
Prussian blue works using a mechanism known as ion exchange. Cesium or thallium that have been absorbed into the body are removed by the liver and passed into the intestine and are then re-absorbed into the body (entero-hepatic circulation). Prussian blue works by trapping thallium and cesium in the intestine, so that they can be passed out of the body in the stool rather than be re-absorbed. If persons are exposed to radioactive cesium, radioactive thallium, or non-radioactive thallium, taking Prussian blue may reduce the risk of death and major illness from radiation or poisoning.

And see this.

DTPA is taken to reduce damage from plutonium, as well as americium and curium. FDA reports:

The FDA has determined that Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA are safe and effective for treating internal contamination with plutonium, americium, or curium. The drugs increase the rate of elimination of these radioactive materials from the body.

Sodium bicarbonate plus diuretics (things which increase urine output) may reduce damage from uranium. FDA notes:

Uranium contamination has been treated with oral sodium bicarbonate, regulated to maintain an alkaline urine pH, and accompanied by diuretics. Oral sodium bicarbonate has not been approved in the United States for this indication.

Sodium bicarbonate is baking soda. While I have no idea whether it is true or not, many alternative people advocate bathing in baking soda after being exposed to uranium.

And see this.

Note: I am not a medical professional and this does not constitute medical or health advice. This is for general informational purposes only. Some or all of the above-described substances may have severe side effects or - if used improperly - may cause more damage than they prevent. Don't take any of these preventatively ... only if exposed to high levels of radiation. Consult your doctor before taking any of the above medicines.

6/28/2011 (Video) Obama to increase nuclear weapons production/refit plus wildfire threatens Los Alamos National Lab

Source: Democracy Now (I extracted the relevant video segment for relevance/brevity)
Date: 6/28/2011

The following Democracy Now interview with Greg Mello, leader of Los Alamos Study Group, not only warns that the Los Conchas wildfire in New Mexico threatens nuclear waste stored on the grounds of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, but also sheds light on the fact that the Obama administration is actually increasing nuclear weapons production/upgrades. I knew that Obama was an advocate of nuclear power for energy production but did not realize he was actually working towards increasing/upgrading America's current nuclear weapons arsenal. As part of this effort, Los Alamos National Lab will build a new $6 billion facility for the production of plutonium.


Visit Democracy Now for interview transcript and full video

6/28/2011 How close is wildfire to nuclear waste at Los Alamos National Lab?

Source: Godlike Productions via Japan Pub Thinktank (Facebook Group)
by: Anonymous Coward

Disclaimer: This is a message board post and has not been fact checked

6/28/11 -- LOS ALAMOS FIRE MAP -- shows just how close the fire is to some serious waste!

I came across the most recent survey map of the wildfire in Los Alamos at the following site: [link to wildfiretoday.com] I thought it would be informative to overlay this map with a map showing the technical areas (TAs) and material disposition areas (MDAs) on the Los Alamos National Lab reservation. Check this out: [link to www.flickr.com] The fire is located within the hatched orange outline shown in the lower left-hand corner of the picture. I don't know the exact scale of this map but it is about 11 miles from Los Alamos to White Rock so that should give you some sense of distance. It appears that the fire, as of June 28th, is about a mile or so from TA-16 and TA-28. TA-16 is a tritium and high explosives processing facility according to: [link to www.lasg.org] TA-28 is an explosives storage area. As far as the MDAs go, the fire is closest to MDA-R, MDA-S, MDA-Z and MDA-AB. These contain various toxic metals, organics, high explosives and radioactive wastes mostly buried in pits. All of those 30,000 drums of low-level radioactive waste we have been hearing about are in MDA-G, which is further away from the fire at the moment. But, oddly, what we haven't heard much about is the storage site for transuranic waste which is in MDA-C. This one is a little scary. Here is the description from the LASG site: ------------------------------------------------ [link to www.lasg.org] Location: Technical Area (TA) -50 Period of use: Pits (6): June 1948 to December 1964 Shafts (107): 1958 to April 1974 Size: 11.8 acres Number and type of disposal units: Pits 1- 4: 610 by 40 feet Pit 5: 705 by 110 feet by about 18 feet Pit 6: 505 by 100 feet by about 23 feet Chemical pit: 180 by 25 feet by about 12 feet Vary between 1 to 2 feet in diameter, and 10 to 25 feet deep Specific wastes and quantities: Estimated Volume: 3,186,000 ft3 of TRU waste Pits contain, as of January 1973: 25 Curies (Ci) of uranium 26 Ci of plutonium-239 149 Ci of americium-241 Shafts contain: 49,136 Ci of tritium 40 Ci sodium-22 20 Ci of cobalt-60 31 Ci of strontium-90 5 Ci of uranium-233 50 Ci fission products 200 Ci of induced activity Also contains quantities of mercury, copper, cobalt, boron, beryllium, and silver. (2) Potential environmental impacts: Lies near Ten-Site Canyon New Mexico Environment Department's (NMED) Hazardous and Radioactive Material Bureau (HRMB) ranks this MDA as an area with a high probability of contaminant mobilization and a moderate to high potential of release to the groundwater. -------------------------------------------------- That is an insane amount of highly radioactive waste. And notice at the end there that it is ranked as HIGH probability of contaminant mobilization! Just a heads up for you guys. We really need to watch this thing!

6/29/2011 Radiation forecast data for health research

Source: NHK World
Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 08:36 +0900 (JST)

The Japanese government plans to help Fukushima Prefecture conduct health research for all local residents with estimates on the spread of radioactive substances from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
...
Read full article here

6/29/2011 TEPCO restarts new cooling system

Source: NHK World
Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 15:28 +0900 (JST)

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant restarted its new reactor cooling system on Wednesday after fixing faults in the hosing.
...
Read full article here

6/28/2011 Anti-nuclear proposals shot down at shareholders' meetings of utilities

Source: asahi.com
Date: 06/29/2011 JST

Angry shareholders lashed out at Tokyo Electric Power Co. on June 28, demanding a retreat from nuclear power and the chairman's resignation over the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

But at the end of the TEPCO shareholders' meeting, attended by a record number of people, motions to cease operations and decommission reactors were voted down, and Chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata retained his post.
...
Read full article here

6/27/2011 (Video) Aeriel Views of Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station

Sources: IB Times TV, Associated Press
Date: 6/27/2011

From IBTimes.TV Monday 6/27/2011:


From AP Monday 6/27/2011:

6/28/2011 Driggs, Idaho Ustream Geiger counter spikes as high as 140 CPM

Date: 6/28/2011 sampling video captures 2-3 minutes starting approximately 2:10 PM CST

This is somewhat disturbing. I noticed that the Driggs, Idaho Ustream meter, which can be observed in real time by clicking the "USA" link on the navigation bar at the top, has spiked up to as high as 140 CPM (counts per minute).  Per the Geiger counter owner, normal background radiation is 20 CPM. 140 CPM is thus 7x background, although 140 is an extreme and not average sampling value.  On the CerebralProgrammer Ustream site for this Geiger counter notes included:

...
Station Log:
6/27/11 Significant increase detected in gross beta gamma levels. System tests provide normal results. Radon levels are down currently and not correlative to increased beta / gamma.
...

A few days ago on June 24, 2011 I captured another 2 minute or so sampling at around midnight showing a CPM from the same meter as high as 100 CPM.

The closest EPA RadNet monitoring site to Driggs, Idaho is in Idaho Falls, Idaho which is 49 miles away in a straight line per the graphic below:

The EPA RadNet monitoring station is 40 miles East of Idaho National Lab, which is one of the nation's first nuclear test sites.  Plutonium contaminated nuclear waste from nuclear weapons manufacture is stored on the grounds. Activist groups have long battled for cleanup of nuclear waste at the facility, siting that much of it sits on top of the Snake River Aquifer. Radioactive waste is shipped in to Idaho National Lab from other facilities for treatment and storage.

The EPA gross gamma and beta counts do not really show any unusual spikes in recent activity if examining the RadNet monitoring station data from Idaho Falls:

Click here for the live EPA Radnet page for Idaho Falls, ID
Note:  I can not personally vouch for this, but activist Alexander Higgins, who writes a popular blog, claims that the EPA re-calibrated their RadNet monitoring stations to understate radioactive fallout coming from Fukushima Daiichi.  The article he wrote is titled Confirmed: EPA Rigged RADNET Japan Nuclear Radiation Monitoring Equipment To Report Lower Levels Of Fukushima Fallout.

If there (hypothetically) is recent unusually high radioactive fallout blowing in to Driggs, Idaho from the Idaho National Lab nuclear waste dump(s) you would expect the EPA air monitoring station to pick up on it since Idaho Falls is only half the distance to INL as Driggs (where CerebralProgrammer's Geiger counter is located) is to INL (see previous geographic map).

Also the wind is not blowing due East, but rather the most recent wind forecast I obtained shows the wind is blowing primarily from South to North, with a slight Northeast angle:

For live wind map click here

If the elevated radiation reading shown at Driggs, Idaho really is coming from Fukushima (as one would naturally expect), for example, this would require a detailed isotope analysis by a nuclear expert to prove it really is from Fukushima. Unfortunately, in May the EPA discontinued much of its testing of radioactive isotopes as per OpEd News:

...
The EPA announced in early May that it would cease testing air, rainwater, tap water and milk, as iodine 131 levels, the isotope with the shortest half-life, had fallen to normal atmospheric levels (EPA test results here). It has been reported at several websites that both NILU and the EPA were pressured to discontinue testing -- or at least to discontinue publication of the test results. The "pressure" has been variously attributed to the U.S. government, the Japanese government and the United Nations, although I have seen no hard evidence to substantiate any of those claims.[1]
...

There is a petition started by Lucas Whitefield Hixson which requests that the President, Congress and EPA reinstate the radioactive isotope testing as mentioned above. If you have not signed it already, the petition is available here.

Any comments or tips (especially from nuclear experts) would be appreciated.

Sources:
[1] Fukushima - The Elephant in the Room, OpEd News

6/27/2011 Activist group warns Los Alamos wildfire 3 1/2 miles from dumpsite with plutonium-contaminated waste

Date: 6/27/2011

A serious New Mexico wildfire 78 square miles in size has forced a mandatory evacuation of the town of Los Alamos, which is where Los Alamos National Laboratory is located.[1]  This laboratory is one of the three sites where the secret Manhattan Project was conducted resulting in the development of the world's first atomic bomb, as well as the hydrogen bomb. At the time, the responsibility of Los Alamos National Laboratory was weapons research and design.

According to the AP an activist group called Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety warned that the wildfire is 3.5 miles away from 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste stored on the grounds of the Los Alamos National Laboratory:

...
The anti-nuclear watchdog group Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, however, said the fire appeared to be about 3 1/2 miles from a dumpsite where as many as 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste were stored in fabric tents above ground. The group said the drums were awaiting transport to a low-level radiation dump site in southern New Mexico.[1]
...

The media contact for Los Alamos National Lab when asked refused to confirm the statement by Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety:

...
Lab spokesman Steve Sandoval declined to confirm that there were any such drums currently on the property. He acknowledged that low-level waste is at times put in drums and regularly taken from the lab to the Waste Isolation Pilot Project site in Carlsbad.[1]
...

The wildfire has already encroached upon the grounds of Los Alamos National Lab, having burned part of Tech Area 49, which in the 1960's was used to conduct underground testing of high explosives and radioactive materials.[1]

Nightly News with Brian Williams [2]


Sources:
[1] Wildfire Shuts Los Alamos Lab, Forces Evacuations, AP via ABC News
[2] (VIDEO) Nightly News with Brian Williams, MSNBC

6/26/2011 Fukushima residents' urine now radioactive

Source: The Japan Times
Date: Monday, June 27, 2011 JST

Kyodo

More than 3 millisieverts of radiation has been measured in the urine of 15 Fukushima residents of the village of Iitate and the town of Kawamata, confirming internal radiation exposure, it was learned Sunday.
...
Read full article here

6/26/2011 Berm fails causing temporary electricity outage at Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station

Date: 6/26/2011

According to the AP one of the berms holding back flood waters at Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station failed at 1:30 AM Sunday (June 26, 2011):

...
The 2,000-foot berm collapsed about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, allowing the swollen river to surround two buildings at the plant. The NRC says those buildings are designed to handle flooding up to 1014 feet above sea level. The river is at 1006.3 feet and isn't forecast to exceed 1008 feet.[1]
...

This resulted in backup generators being temporarily used to power both the already shut down main reactor (having been shut down since April) and spent fuel cooling systems, as the main power was cut. Quoting a second AP article:

...
The berm's collapse didn't affect the reactor shutdown cooling or the spent fuel pool cooling, but the power supply was cut after water surrounded the main electrical transformers, the NRC said. Emergency generators powered the plant until an off-site power supply was connected Sunday afternoon, according to OPPD.[2]
...

According to CNN news wire the berm was punctured by machinery:

...
Some sort of machinery came in contact with the berm, puncturing it and causing the berm to deflate, said Mike Jones, a spokesman for the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), which owns the Fort Calhoun plant.[3]
...

In this case there was not any lengthy electrical outage as the power was diverted immediately to working backup generators and reconnected promptly from the outside. Unfortunately, at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant once battery backup systems were exhausted, the diesel generators had been damaged and made non-functional by the tsunami.  No external power was able to be brought in to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant until the cores had already melted.

For further reading: another article from CNBC, or this article from Omaha World Herald.

Sources:
[1] Flood berm collapsed at Nebraska nuclear plant, AP via Action 3 News
[2] Flood berm collapses at Nebraska nuclear plant, AP via Victoria Advocate
[3] Flood berm bursts at Nebraska nuclear plant, CNN news wire

6/26/2011 TEPCO ready to try again with water decontamination system

Source: Japan Today
Date: Jun. 27, 2011 - 05:29AM JST

TOKYO — Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said Sunday that it plans to start full-scale operations of its system to decontaminate highly radioactive water at its stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex on Monday.

The system has been experiencing a number of glitches since last week. TEPCO said it had replaced the chemicals in the absorption equipment and made the necessary repairs.

Goshi Hosono, director of the government’s nuclear crisis task force, said the system has met operational requirements and had decontaminated nearly 5,000 tons of tainted water in test runs on Saturday.

Workers have cooled the reactors and spent fuel by pumping in fresh water, which becomes contaminated with radiation. About 110,000 tons of tainted water have accumulated, and it could start overflowing in early July unless workers get a trouble-plagued water treatment system working properly. 

The system became fully operational a week ago but shut down after a few hours when one of the radiation absorbing cartridges reached its limit much more quickly than expected.

Hosono told NHK that one problem is that heavy rain due to the rainy season might increase the amount of contaminated water.

6/25/2011 Radiation measured in the waters and air (Fukushima Plant)

Source: NHK Science and Culture
Date: 6/25/2011

Radiation measured in the waters and air near the No.1 Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (Source: Tokyo Electric Power Co. TEPCO) 

MAP   http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/houshasen/index2.html

【No.1 Plant : Radioactive substances detected in the waters　】

【A】 From samples collected 30 meters north of the outlets of the Unit 5-6 at 09:25 June 24.

Iodine 131:         ND       (--- times the limit)

Cesium 134: 0.023 Bq/cc (0.38 times the limit)

Cesium 137: 0.020 Bq/cc (0.22 times the limit)

【B】 From samples collected 330 meters south of the outlets of the Unit 1-4 at 09:10 June 24.

Iodine 131:         ND       (--- times the limit)

Cesium 134: 0.019 Bq/cc (0.32 times the limit)

Cesium 137: 0.025 Bq/cc (0.28 times the limit)

【No.2 Plant : Radioactive substances detected in the waters　】

【C】 From samples collected near the outlets of the Unit 3-4 at 08:30 June 24.      10km south of the No.1 Plant

Iodine 131:          ND         (--- times the limit)

Cesium 134:         ND         (--- times the limit)

Cesium 137:         ND         (--- times the limit)

【D】 From samples collected 7km south of the outlets of the Unit 1-2 at 08:00 June 24.        16km south of the No.1 Plant

Iodine 131:          ND       (--- times the limit)

Cesium 134:         ND       (--- times the limit)

Cesium 137:         ND       (--- times the limit)

the limit :   the limit set for water outside the environmental monitoring area

【No.1 Plant : Air dose  】

▼southern side of The main office: 500 meters north-west of the Unit 2 .

342  μSv/h       Time:09:00 June 25,2011    Winds: south-southeasterly 1.5 m/s

▼the Main Gate : 1,000 meters west of the Unit 2 .

27.8μSv/h      Time:09:00 June 25, 2011   Winds:south-southeasterly 1.5 m/s

There was no neutron dose detected.

In the event the seawater contains more than two nuclides, the density of each nuclide is scaled against its allowable limit. Thereafter the sum of the scaled densities of all nuclides is gauged against 1. 

Let's assume the scaled density of I-131 is 0.20 times the limit and that of Cs-134 is 0.70 times the limit and that of Cs-137 is 0.60 times the limit, for example. In this case, the sum of the scaled densities of I-131 and Cs-134 and Cs-137 becomes 1.50 times the limit. This means the radioactive material in the seawater exceeds the allowable limit.

6/26/2011 TEPCO failed to report possible hydrogen explosion

Source: Asahi.com
Date: 6/26/2011

Smoke rises from the No. 3 reactor  at Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power  plant which exploded in March.  (Asahi Shimbun)

Tokyo Electric Power Co. knew there could be an explosion at the No. 3 reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant the day before it happened, but didn't report the possibility to authorities. The failure to notify the central and local governments was revealed in reports submitted by TEPCO to the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The reports were made available on NISA's website June 24. ... Read full article here

6/24/2011 Fukushima Meltdown Mitigation Aims to Prevent Radioactive Flood

Source: Scientific American
Date: June 24, 2011
by: David Biello

Three months after its meltdown, the stricken nuclear power plant continues to struggle to cool its nuclear fuel--and cope with growing amounts of radioactive cooling water

More than three months after a powerful earthquake and 14-meter-high tsunami struck Japan, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant remains flooded with a salty mix of ocean and fresh water that is contaminated with the radioactive residue of three reactors and four spent fuel pools' worth of nuclear fuel. Every day an additional 500 metric tons of seawater is poured onto the still hot nuclear fuel in the stricken reactors and fuel pools. More than 100,000 metric tons of such water now sits in the basement and trenches of the reactors—or evaporates inside the hot reactor buildings, making for a radioactive onsen (hot bath). ... Read full article here

HOLDING TANKS: Tanks hold some of the radioactive water overflowing from cooling efforts at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Image: Courtesy of TEPCO

Nuclear Reactor Design Chosen - Not Because It Was Safe - But Because It Worked On Navy Submarines

Source: Washington's Blog
Date: Monday, June 20, 2011

Virtually all of the nuclear reactors in the U.S. are of the same archaic design as those at Fukushima (Indeed, MSNBC notes that there are 23 U.S. reactors which are more or less identical to those at Fukushima.)

Called "light-water reactors", this design was not chosen for safety reasons. Rather, it was chosen because it worked in Navy submarines.
...
Read full article here

6/24/2011 | RPT-SPECIAL REPORT: Japan's 'throwaway' nuclear workers

Source: Reuters
Date: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:43am BST
by: Kevin Krolicki and Chisa Fujioka

(Reuters) - A decade and a half before it blew apart in a hydrogen blast that punctuated the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, the No. 3 reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant was the scene of an earlier safety crisis.
...
Read full article here

6/24/2011 | Nuclear experts killed in Russia plane crash helped design Iran facility

Source: HAARETZ.com
Date: 11:33 23.06.11
by: Amir Oren

The five Russian scientists were among 44 killed earlier this week; no official investigation of foul play has been opened, though Iranian nuclear experts have in the past been involved in similar accidents.
...
Read full article here

6/24/2011 | Dutchsinse (YouTube activist) drives to Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station to measure the environmental radiation personally

Source: Dutchsinse YouTube channel
Date: 6/24/2011

To investigate for himself if rumors of a meltdown at Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station are true or not, Dutchsinse has traveled to within several blocks of the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant and taken direct independent measurements with his own Geiger counter of the environment.  The verdict is...

The drive in to nuclear power plant:


Reading #1 North tip of nuclear plant 48.4 CPM:


Reading #2 South edge of nuclear plant 61.4 CPM:


Reading #3 East edge of nuclear plant 48.6 CPM:


No meltdown! Environmental levels normal.

However, both Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station and Cooper Nuclear Station (in addition to Missouri river water levels)  should be watched closely, in the event of an unexpected (or series of unexpected) levee or dam breaks.

6/23/2011 | City in Chiba Prefecture sets independent radiation dose standard for children

Source: The Mainichi Daily News
Date: 6/23/2011

NODA, Chiba -- The municipal government here independently set a 1.0 millisievert maximum annual radiation dose for children, and will take anti-exposure measures should doses at schools in the city exceed that figure, it was announced on June 22.
...
Read full article here

Editor's Comment: It is refreshing to see local governments sticking up for the people, in trying to keep the old 1 millisievert/year safety rule for children. 20 millisieverts/year as an arbitrary standard is ridiculous. An important benchmark to watch hourly Geiger counters against is 1 millisievert/365/24 or .1142 microsieverts/hour. Note that children are three times more susceptible to radiation effects than adults.

6/24/2011 | Sunflowers to clean radioactive soil in Japan

Source: AFP
Date: 6/24/1970

TOKYO — Campaigners in Japan are asking people to grow sunflowers, said to help decontaminate radioactive soil, in response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster that followed March's massive quake and tsunami.
...
Read full article here

6/24/2011 | Good site tracking Fort Calhoun and Cooper nuclear power plants flooding

Source: http://www.cartoradiations.fr/Fort_Calhoun.php
Date: Site is updated periodically
Good site tracking the flooding at Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station and Cooper Nuclear Station:

Click here for news and photos

6/24/2011 | Decontamination system meets performance target

Source: NHK World
Date: Friday, June 24, 2011 19:59 +0900 (JST)

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says a trouble-hit system for decontaminating highly radioactive water at the facility is working as planned.
...
Read full article here

6/24/2011 | Levee Fails Upstream From Cooper Nuclear Station

Source: Nebraska.StatePaper.com
Date: 6/24/1970

Authorities: Don't worry
A levee three-miles upstream from the Cooper Nuclear Station at Brownville failed Thursday night, but authorities said the incident presented no threat to the nuclear plant. The failed levee, in Atchison County, Missouri, was breached at about 9 p.m.

Atchison County borders Nemaha and Otoe Counties in Nebraska. The Cooper plant, operated by the Nebraska Public Power District, is in Nemaha County.

An emergency evacuation was ordered for Atchison County west of I-29, including Landgdon, Watson, Phelps City, and Nishnabotna.

“This is a large breach and water will be moving rapidly. Persons should stay out of this area if previously evacuated due to danger,” the Atchison County Emergency Management office said in a prepared statement.

6/24/2011 | Counts near 100 CPM (5x background) at Driggs, Idaho Ustream Geiger counter

Source: CerebralProgrammer Ustream channel as recorded on YouTube
Date: Recording started June 24, 2011 12:41:53 AM CST

Per the Geiger counter's owner (CerebralProgrammer) 20 CPM (counts per minute) is the normal background radiation level.  I first noticed an unusually high reading last night at about midnight CST. Tonight I have recorded a 2 minute or so sampling of high readings where 100 CPM is touched or exceeded, or 5x background.

Ludlum Model 177 ratemeter with a victoreen 490-31 detector scale 1x CPM

Each black notch represents 20 CPM

Click here for live readings

6/24/2011 | Drone Aircraft At Fukushima Plant Loses Control, Lands On Reactor Building

Source: DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Date: JUNE 24, 2011, 12:22 A.M. ET
by: Mitsuru Obe

TOKYO (Dow Jones)--A small 8.2 kilogram drone aircraft gathering data from heavily damaged areas of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant lost control Friday and landed on the roof of the No. 2 reactor building, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501.TO) said.

The vehicle, known as a T-Hawk, is about 20 centimeters in diameter and looks like a small jet pack. It is used primarily by the military for reconnaissance work in dangerous areas. It has been used at Fukushima Daiichi since mid-April to assist in damage assessment.

The company said there didn't appear to be any damage from the impact of the vehicle, with no fire or smoke observed following the accident. It wasn't known if the vehicle was damaged in any way.

Tepco spokesman Junichi Matsumoto said that due to its small size and weight, the drone is "unlikely to crash through the rooftop and damage the reactor."

Tepco said it may attempt to retrieve the unit using a long crane.

The No. 2 unit is the only one of the four reactors to retain its roof following explosions at units 1, 3 and 4 that destroyed much of their outer buildings.

Tepco is undertaking a nine-month project to bring the heavily damaged reactor units under control following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

-By Mitsuru Obe, Dow Jones Newswires; +81-3-6269-2785; mitsuru.obe@dowjones.com

6/23/2011 | Top nuke official likely to visit Nebraska Monday

Source: KVNO News
Date: June 23rd, 2011
by: Robyn Wisch

Omaha, NE – KVNO News has confirmed that the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Gregory Jaczko, will likely be stopping in Nebraska on Monday. Senator Mike Johanns’ office confirms the NRC has told his office to expect the Chairman Monday, although the NRC will not confirm the visit. Typically, these announcements are not confirmed until all scheduling is finalized.
...
Read full article here

6/23/2011 | TEPCO radioactive water treatment under-performance blamed on incorrectly set valve

Date: 6/23/2011

The Kurion (U.S. company) subsystem was tested to be only 10% as good at filtering radioactive material as expected during previous testing.  TEPCO thinks it is due to the cesium filtration component which was installed with one valve incorrectly opened. Here is the English handout diagram given to reporters:

TEPCO handout

TEPCO will test the radioactive water treatment system with the valve closed.

Click here for further details and video

Radioactive tritium leaks found at 48 US nuke sites

Source: AP via MSNBC
Date: ???
by: JEFF DONN

'You got pipes that have been buried underground for 30 or 40 years, and they've never been inspected', whistleblower says

BRACEVILLE, Ill. — Radioactive tritium has leaked from three-quarters of U.S. commercial nuclear power sites, often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping, an Associated Press investigation shows.
...
Read full article here

Addition: Local news report on Braidwood, IL nuclear plant which had pipes leaking tritium.

6/22/2011 | TEPCO restarts Fukushima Daiichi water treatment but tests show underperformance

TEPCO has continued tested it's radioactive water treatment system at Fukushima Daiichi but discovered that the subsystems were not performing up to expectations. Per the EX-SKF blog expectations were for a 1/1,000,000 reduction in radioactive materials overall after filtering, but only a 1/18,400 decrease was actually achieved. The under-performance was noticed in the Kurion treatment subsystem, as well as the Areva (French) subsystem which both did not perform up to expectations.

The latest estimate for the amount of water pooled at the Fukushima Daiichi complex is estimated at more than 110,000 tons. Per TEPCO spokesman Junichi Matsumoto 1700 tons of water have been treated so far. The processing rate at which TEPCO wants to run the water treatment system is 50 tons/hour. Assuming 24 hour nonstop operation, 1200 tons/day of radioactive water could be theoretically processed at this rate.  Approximately 500 tons a day of water is injected in to Fukushima Daiichi per the JAIF (Japan Atomic Industry Forum, Inc.) Earthquake Report for June 22, 2011.

In order to decrease the rate at which the radioactive water is building up TEPCO has reduced the amount of water being poured in to reactors 1 (-.5 tons/hr), 2 (-.5 tons/hr) and 3 (-1 tons/hour) while carefully monitoring the heat level of the reactors. The #3 reactor did experience a heat rise per TEPCO who are monitoring closely without increasing the water poured in to the reactor. The water flow in the #1 and #2 reactors will be reduced by another -.5 tons/hr.

The right sidebar of the EX-SKF blog shows the number of millimeters left to the top of the water ditches for reactors 2 and 3 if you are interested in imminent overflow.

6/22/2011 | TEPCO can't find 69 plant workers for radiation checks

Source: asahi.com
Date: 6/22/2011

The whereabouts of 69 people who had worked at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant remain unknown, including 30 who have not even been identified, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said June 20.
...
Read full article here

6/23/2011 AST | Japan issues tsunami advisory after strong 6.7-magnitude quake

Source: NewsCore via thetelegraph.com.au
Date: June 23, 2011 8:21AM (Australia time)

A TSUNAMI advisory was issued for part of Japan's north-east coast after a 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck offshore this morning local time, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The meteorological agency said today the latest jolt hit at 6.51am (7.51am AEST) about 50km off the east coast of Miyako, Iwate prefecture, at a depth of 20km in the Pacific.

The north-east coast of Japan's main Honshu island was ravaged by a 9.0 magnitude quake and monster tsunami on March 11, which left more 23,000 people dead or missing.

The disasters also crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, triggering the world's worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986 and forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to leave their homes.

If there is a tsunami, its height is only expected to be around 1.6 feet (0.5m), and it would likely affect coastal regions of Iwate prefecture, the JMA said.

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There were no immediate reports of damage.

- with Agence-France Presse

6/22/2011 | Newspaper Reports Massive Fukushima Nuclear Radiation Testing Blackout In Canda

Source: Alexander Higgins Blog
Date: June 22, 2011 at 11:33 am

Following recent reports of radiation saturation doubling private companies, government agencies and universities in Canada are refusing to get involved in Fukushima nuclear radiation fallout testing at any level.
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Read full article here