Radioactive cesium from Fukushima expected to reach U.S. West Coast in 5 years

[AsahinaKimi]

The JAEA map predicting the spread of cesium-137 leaking from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant. (Courtesy of JAEA)

Radioactive cesium leaking from the tsunami-hit Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant is estimated to reach the West Coast of the United States in five years after its density declines considerably, according to a semi-governmental research institute.

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has compiled a map predicting how cesium-137 will spread throughout the Pacific Ocean in the long term. Cesium-137, whose half life is 30 years, is one of the radioactive substances leaking from the crippled nuclear power station.

It estimates that cesium-137 from the plant will spread in the shape of an ellipse -- as far as about 4,000 kilometers off the coast of Japan -- in one year. It then predicts the substance will reach Hawaii three years later and the U.S. West Coast five years from now. However, the agency says that by that time, its density will have declined significantly.

more..
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110627p2a00m0na009000c.html

[plumbob]

1. Well, nothing to worry about then. In five years, we'll all be raptured

and it's only the west coast anyway, and heck, five years from now, these nannies will find that this is the cure for the common cold.


SOOOOOOOOOO, party on!!!

[FBaggins]

2. Declined significantly?

Hundreds of thousands of times... or millions?

[TheWraith]

3. Maximum concentration of 0.01 Becquerels per liter? Do you know how little that is?

Here's a hint: in the US, the maximum legal limit on radiation in drinking water is 740 becquerels per liter, or 74,000 times the concentration in that seawater.

In Canada, the legal limit is almost 10 times higher, 7,000 becquerels per liter.

[FBaggins]

4. You fool! Do you not understand the difference?

Man-made radiation is many times worse than the natural stuff that (insert god here) gave us!

:sarcasm:

[CoffeeCat]

8. I'd like to see documentation from a radiation expert....

that backs up what you are suggesting. Sure, Floyd from the Nuclear-Energy lobby will tell you otherwise,
and so will our corrupt, bought-and-paid-for EPA officials--but are we really that ignorant
to believe their tripe?

Cesium-137 has a very long half life. It stays in your body for 40 years, and
while it's there--it tries very hard to damage your cells and your body and it
causes cancer. Every radiation expert that I've read--says that there is no "safe
level".

There is no "good" level of Cesium-137 that can be in your body. It's all bad.
Sure, if you have a lot more--you will get more sick and die. And your body may
be able to fight off very minute levels. However, it does damage--every particle
of the radioactive isotope Cesium-137 does damage.

I'm really getting sick and tired of these, "But! But! The levels are soooo low!"
posts regarding radioactive isotopes and what is safe for our kids to drink, eat and
inhale. We shouldn't be ingesting ANY of this stuff, but the fact is--the nuclear-energy
industry has written the absurd, new standards--since they've bought our government
via campaign contributions--so they can continue to make billions. And so what if some
people get cancer or die! It's sickening and lies are spread as truth.

If you have low levels of anything, I suppose you could make an argument that it's not
all that bad. Maybe watered down rat poison won't kill you. But is that really the
argument here? Shouldn't the argument be....why in the hell are we eating and drinking
this poison and why do we allow the corporations to propagate the notion that a little
bit of cancer-causing radioactive isotopes ain't all that bad?!

[TheWraith]

11. Most of what you just said is scientifically wrong.

"Cesium-137 has a very long half life. It stays in your body for 40 years"

No it doesn't. It's flushed out of your body within a couple months. Anyone telling you otherwise doesn't know what the hell they're talking about.

"Every radiation expert that I've read--says that there is no "safe level"."

Then you've been listening to the discredited "low level nuclear radiation" people, whose claims have no scientific evidence. Real scientists will tell you that of course there is a safe level, just as there's a safe level for the radioactive potassium that's constantly a part of your body. That's 4,000 becquerels of radiation inside your blood, every single day, without which you would die. Or for that matter, a safe level for oxygen, which at high pressures will kill you; or water, drinking too much of which will kill you; or anything else.

"every particle of the radioactive isotope Cesium-137 does damage."

In the same way that every microsecond of sunlight "does damage." Do you intend to live in a darkened cave for the rest of your life? Because you're panicking over doses too microscopic to measure, whose health effects are proven non-existent. The equivalent is worrying that you might have touched something that was once touched by someone who had been near lead, and therefore you're going to get lead poisoning. There is no scientific basis or any of this.

[hobbit709]

13. No use giving the Chicken Little types facts.

They believe their woo facts are real so don't try to alter their "facts".

[CoffeeCat]

5. Cesium 137 has been found in milk....

...in Vermont. That was several weeks ago. We're most likely inhaling
and ingesting the stuff.

I understand this article was about Cesium 137 in sea water, but it's important
to note that we've all ready been exposed.

And these particles are internal emitters. They get inside of your body and
nestle in your bones and other tissues. They stay in your body and continue
to emit radiation and do damage. This won't cause cancer in everyone who is
exposed, but it most certainly will cause some to get cancer.

And anyone who tries to downplay Cesium-137 meandering around inside your body--has
an agenda. This is not the same as being exposed to background radiation from
an airline flight; nor is it the same as getting an xray. You don't eat an xray.

Ingesting and inhaling Cesium-137 will cause some people to get cancer. All
experts on radiation agree to this. Levels of cancer will increase.

[FBaggins]

7. I'm sorry that you think that facts "have an agenda"

Cesium has not been detected in milk or water in Vermont in several weeks... nor was it EVER detected in amounts that were considered at all dangerous. It was detected (back in April) below the safety level set for year-round consumption.

And these particles are internal emitters. They get inside of your body and
nestle in your bones and other tissues. They stay in your body and continue
to emit radiation and do damage.

That's incorrect. Cesium neither "seeks" muscle nor bone. It also doesn't "stay in your body" for long periods of time (as might plutonium or strontium). It has a biological half-life of a couple months.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[TheWraith]

12. Do you have credible links to back up those statements?

Because the government has NOT stopped testing anything.

[FBaggins]

14. Lol... but you have time to spread a little of your own?

You are wrong on everything you just said.

Wow! Everything? Let's see...

For one thing...Cesium-137 was detected in milk in Vermont

At levels that were too low to care about. Unless you're paranoid of course. :)

You do know what "pico" means, right? :rofl:

and the government has not tested for it since then.

Bull. The VT sample in question was from 3/30 (posted on 4/8). There were two samples taken a week later that showed no detectable cesium at all.

The rest of your post is full of baloney. I don't have time to debunk your propaganda.

You're also not capable of it... since they are facts.

I urge everyone to ignore this obvious and disgusting display. Read on your own.

Oh yes... by all means read on your own. But be sure to note that cesium has been detected in VT's water and milk off and on for years. You should also read what the state said at the time:

"We have good reason to believe that this is not a result of the tragedy in Japan. Regardless, there is no health risk from drinking milk, and there is plenty of benefit."

"A person is normally exposed to about 600 millirem of radiation every year," said Dr. Chen. "Using the most conservative estimates, drinking milk with these trace amounts for one full year would add 0.01 millirem to exposure."

Find something more realistic to be the object of your paranoia folks.

[PearliePoo2]

6. The thing is...the spewing and leaking of radiation is continuing.

They have no idea what will happen next.
There is NO book written to guide them.
They keep throwing "fixes" at the wall hoping one will stick. In the meantime, the lies continue.

[Poll_Blind]

10. +1

It's like one continuous "junk shot", at best.

PB

[Emelina]

15. But, but...the corporate media...

Says we should REALLY be concerned with new trends in bikinis and whether Lindsey Lohan should let her breasts stretch by going braless (yep, that was on Fox).

[valerief]

16. The massive Pacific garbage island will stop it. nt