Radiation Detected in Tea Leaves in Japan, Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2011:

[flamingdem]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576317152274615660.html

A prefecture just south of Tokyo said it had detected higher-than-permissible amounts of radioactive material in tea leaves, in a reminder that Japan’s radioactive-contamination problems are far from over. <...>

According to Kanagawa officials, a sample of tea leaves collected May 9 from the city of Minamiashigara, in the western part of the prefecture, was found to contain 550 becquerels of cesium per kilogram in the first test; the second test of the same sample detected 570 becquerels. <...>

Kanagawa tested tea leaves for the first time because local farmers were about to start shipping this year’s tea leaves they had just picked. <...>

:thumbsdown:

bummer..

[Rex]

1. Why would anyone think this is over? Hello, this is only just beginning.

We have a zillion years to wait and watch...unless someone is radiation proof and can clean up the entire mess and send the radioactive material to the moon. Anyone seen Superman around? We could use him.

[flamingdem]

4. No wonder the Prime Minister of Japan just announced they're moving to renewables! nt

[Bonobo]

2. It's a good thing they are testing such things out of concern for the people's safety.

Some countries might not do that. In fact, some countries don't allow their beef producers to test their cows for mad cow disease.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4702216/ns/business-mad_cow_in_the_u_s_/t/us-rejects-private-tests-mad-cow/

[Poll_Blind]

10. Great point- it is beyond disgusting how the US treats the health of its citizens.

On the mad cow thing, it's just insane. I'm an idiot for still eating beef- and I'm not being sarcastic. I just keep forgetting how bad it really is.

PB

[flamingdem]

3. Radiation in food up to 65 miles from Japan plant

(AP)

FUKUSHIMA, Japan - Japan said radiation levels in spinach and milk from farms near its tsunami-crippled nuclear complex exceeded government safety limits, as emergency teams scrambled Saturday to restore power to the plant so it could cool dangerously overheated fuel.

The food was taken from farms as far as 65 miles from the stricken plants, suggesting a wide area of nuclear contamination.

While the radiation levels exceeded the limits allowed by the government, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano insisted the products "pose no immediate health risk.":eyes:

[defendandprotect]

6. This is going to include plutonium -- !!

[defendandprotect]

5. kr

[StarsInHerHair]

7. a large iron aircraft hangar needs to be built over the reactors, the sooner

the better; at least it would stop some particles from getting into the atmosphere. The ocean.........I keep thinking of Chernobyl & the centuries they list. We need non-profit radiation monitoring in the U.S.

[Poll_Blind]

8. This is not entirely surprising. But what happens next is deadly serious.

Here you have a country which already has problems covering up black marks on their past and acknowledging current problems. What happens when you put that country in a position where it is desperate to export goods (including food) and where those goods might be toxic?

I have every reason to believe the answer is likely "attempt to ship the toxic goods anyway".

Without inspections proving otherwise at US customs, all Japanese goods (and much of what comes out of Asia, period) should be considered potentially toxic. And because some goods are shipped from that region to processing plants in other countries and then shipped here, I don't see why radiation screening should not be part of our import system (if something like it isn't already in place).

PB

[fascisthunter]

9. send it all to the Tea Baggers

[flamingdem]

12. Let them hang that off of their hats nt

[ensho]

11. oh darn - no more ordering loose tea from Japan

much sympathy for the Japanese tea growers