Japan radioactivity could enter food chain, children at risk

[avaistheone1]

Source: Ottawa Citizen

Radioactive materials spewed into the air by Japan's earthquake-crippled nuclear plant may contaminate food and water resources, with children and unborn babies most at risk of possibly developing cancer.

Experts said any exposure to radioactive materials has the potential to cause various kinds of cancers, with higher levels of radiation seen as more dangerous.

But they said they needed more accurate measurements for the level of radioactivity in Japan, and the region, to give a proper risk assessment.

"The explosions could expose the population to longer-term radiation, which can raise the risk of cancer. These are thyroid cancer, bone cancer and leukemia. Children and fetuses are especially vulnerable," said Lam Ching-wan, chemical pathologist at the University of Hong Kong.


Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Japan+radioactivity+could+enter+food+chain+children+risk/4441272/story.html#ixzz1Ghkdj911

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. People said this morning I was nuts to go get powdered milk

and canned food

[CoffeeCat]

5. I really don't think you can be overprepare...

I applaud you for doing what makes you feel safe and prepared.

The reality is--our government is corrupt and in bed with the corporations. We no longer
get the truth. We get whatever "key messages" the corporations decide should be injected
into us through the complicit media.

We heard government officials tell us that the air at 'ground zero' was wonderful. We heard
government officials tell us that it was ok to swim in the oil-soaked Gulf and eat the seafood.

We have to protect ourselves. When a large disaster happens, we don't get the truth. They
don't give shit if we live or die. The politicians and these corporations care only about
profit and power. We are insects; annoying mosquitoes that they must deal with. They hate us.

So really--we're constantly in the dark about these environmental disasters, because our entire
system has failed. No one knows what will happen with the nuclear-power plants in Japan. All
we can do is prepare for any eventuality.

Personally, I think failing to prepare for worst-case scenarios is foolish. AFter all, those in
power, have absolutely no regard for our well being and safety. We are expendable. So, it
is imperative to be your own advocate and prepare--but no one else is, that's for sure.

[gateley]

10. And even if it isn't a result of government neglect, there are some things that

are out of everyone's control -- getting food to the people in some areas of Japan, for example. You could experience a quake and not be able to make it down to your grocery store, deliveries may not be able to get through even if you could.

It's common sense. I've yet to heed my own advice, but I DO see the wisdom of your words~ :hi:

[gateley]

8. I think it's just a good precaution. It's my belief that everything will be affected

by this -- to varying degrees -- but even a little isn't desirable by any means.

I think the entire earth has been affected by our testing, our bombing, our nuclear energy accidents (and by "our" I mean human beings). The earth is an eco-SYSTEM. What goes around comes around, sharing the wealth, as it were. :eyes:

Nothing will be able to escape this, Monsanto is as much at risk as Organic farms, cattle, chicken, everything. Not saying the amounts will do a lot of harm - who knows? - but I DO know it's not 'beneficial'.

When will we learn that we can't CONTROL everything? Some things ARE more powerful than Man!

[dipsydoodle]

2. Well I'm not sure

that bothered the US too much back in 1945.

[damntexdem]

3. We know more than they did in 1945, and during the bomb tests in the 1950s.

There were reasons for nuclear test bans.

Unfortunately, we keep forgetting that nuclear power plants cannot be made safe with current technology.

[gateley]

11. God - back then they let people watch from not too far away -- their only "protection"

being a pair of sunglasses!

I am so in agreement with your opinion - I don't care how much we've learned, we obviously haven't learned the REAL lesson -- stop fucking with nuclear energy!

[gateley]

4. COULD enter food chain? I'd bet on it. nt

[Texano78704]

13. More like "already in the food chain."

If they are detecting radiation at several times higher than normal, it's because radioactive particulates are in the atmosphere.

[gateley]

16. "...it's because radioactive particulates are in the atmosphere."

And have been for years, IMO. :(

[Igel]

19. Depends.

Probably true, but if it's H-3 or radioactive iodine, it could just be gas that's responsible for the radioactivity. Iodine is one of the substances they claimed to have detected in Tokyo.

Caesium's the other. Even caesium boils below what the temperature would be if the spent fuel rods started to burn. It might condense back out when it cooled back to ambient temperatures, but there'd still be a non-zero vapor pressure.

They don't release nearly enough details.

[jpak]

6. Half of Japan's seafood comes from coastal fisheries, mariculture and aquaculture

Most of the radionuclides released from the damaged reactors appears to have been dispersed offshore, but there has been no reports of estimates of total activity released or the inventory of isotopes released.

Marine organisms concentrate radionuclides from seawater but the food web dynamics are complex.

Suffice it to say that contaminants washed out to sea from the tsunami and radionuclides entering coastal marine food webs from th damaged reactors will have an impact on Japan's seafood industry.

[Zorra]

7. "thyroid cancer , bone cancer, and leukemia. Children and fetuses are especially vulnerable"...

No. More. F$!$ing. Nukes.

Ever.

[gateley]

12. When I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem, it was like the "everybody has

the same car as I just bought!' experience. I was astounded at how many people were afflicted with thyroid disorders - seemed like an epidemic. I'm suspicious it's because of all the radiation we're exposed to, especially since five out of five people I know who worked at the Hanford nuclear facility in Washington State, have thyroid conditions - and 3 of them have cancer. My brother knows a guy whose wife grew up in that area, and the entire family died of cancer. Not pointing a finger directly, but you gotta wonder...

[Zorra]

14. A dear friend lost her husband to leukemia. He worked at Hanford.

He was 40 yrs old when he died.

She has no doubts.

On edit: Her youngest child was born with extremely severe birth defects and died at 15 yrs of age.

[gateley]

17. I have no doubts she is absolutely correct. I'm so sorry for her losses --

it's especially heartbreaking when you know the causes could have been prevented. :(

[Zorra]

20. And I am so sorry about your condition.

Let's hope that the causes of these maladies are eliminated from the planet very soon.
:hi:

[Matariki]

9. could? more like "will enter the food chain".

As a race, we are idiots.

[gateley]

15. Okay - I keep posting this but I think it supports your "idiots" statement.

Deep Space Nine - Quark and his nephews are coming back in time and space to earth in the present day. They enter earth's atmosphere and the alarms start screaming - it's the REALLY SERIOUS SHIT alarm! They're all freaking out -- HAVE to find out what is wrong because it could mean their destruction. A nephew says "Uncle! It says it's radioactivity!" Quark says "Don't be ridiculous! There must be something wrong with the system -- No intelligent species would have radioactivity on their planet!"

Perhaps if earth were inhabited by Ferengis rather than hominoids we'd be much better off. :7

[Matariki]

18. It's such a beautiful planet. You'd think we'd cherish it. n/t