Japanese Government Says Milk, Spinach Near Stricken Nuke Plant Have Unsafe Radiation

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Japanese government says milk, spinach near stricken nuke plant have unsafe radiation

Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

ASSOCIATED PRESS | 17 minutes ago in Business

Japan's top government spokesman says radiation levels in spinach and milk exceed safety limits following nuclear accidents at a tsunami-stricken nuclear plant.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said checks of milk from Fukushima prefecture, where the plant is located, and of spinach grown in Ibaraki, a neighboring prefecture, surpassed limits set by the government.

It was the government's first report of food being contaminated by radiation since the March 11 quake and tsunami unleashed the nuclear crisis.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

Read more: hhttp://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20110318/58078623-1383-40f3-bcab-25185e592768

[freshwest]

1. Uh, I thought it was safer than solar and wind and other alternatives...

:sarcasm:

[caseymoz]

2. It is unless it gets angry.

And it gets angry if you don't water it a lot every hour of every day.

What could possibly go wrong?

[Turborama]

7. Apparently it's cheaper, too.

Which is untrue, considering the insurance costs alone are now skyrocketing.

[lbrtbell]

3. Really? No! (insert sarcasm tag here)

I think we can file this in the Who Didn't See This One Coming? folder. :(

[northernlights]

4. how long before they change the safety limits? nt

[Robbien]

6. Japanese officials are saying it is okay to eat this excess radiation for "a certain period of time"

but if eaten for longer than "a certain period of time" then it is not okay. The time period meant by "a certain period of time" is not specified.

In my mind "a certain period of time" should be measured in fractions of a second.

[freshwest]

13. IDK, when the genocide of all the honest, good-hearted people is finished?

[JJW]

5. Is anyone testing imported seafood from Japan?

How about a radioactive ipod or GM volt?

[enough]

8. Japan Confirms High Radiation in Spinach and Milk Near Nuclear Plant

Source: New York Times

Published: March 19, 2011

TOKYO — The government said on Saturday that they had found higher than normal levels of radioactive materials in spinach and milk at farms near the ravaged nuclear power plants, the first confirmation by officials that the nuclear crisis unfolding at power plants nearby has affected the nation’s food supply.

While officials downplayed the immediate risks to consumers, the findings are likely to further unsettle a nation worried about the long-term effects of the damaged nuclear power plants. The crisis, which has entered its second week, has caused alarm in some countries that fallout from Japan might reach their shores.

snip>

Food safety inspectors said that the amount of iodine-131 found in the tested milk was five times higher than levels deemed safe. They said that the iodine found in the spinach was more than seven times higher. The spinach also contained slightly higher amounts of cesium-137.

more>

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/asia/20japan.html?hp

[eowyn_of_rohan]

9. Some radiation "expert" on MSNBC the other night said ...

that milk was the ONLY food that would be affected. Totally absurd. I think it was Rachel who asked "only milk?" , to which the expert nodded.

[enough]

10. The article suggests that different foods absorb radiation differently:

snip>

Mr. Ohara said that Japan is particularly strict in determining what constitutes safe radioactive levels. It is also fastidious in inspecting food imported from China and other countries. Leafy spinach is especially susceptible to absorbing radioactive material, Mr. Ohara said.

Asparagus, cucumbers, radish, tomatoes and other vegetables are also grown in Fukushima, but have not been found to be contaminated. However, only a small number of farms have been tested because officials have been overwhelmed in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear crisis that followed, Mr. Ohara said.

snip>

[defendandprotect]

11. kr -- and we really needed NUCLEAR plants to boil water for steam ... !!!

[ensho]

12. kick

nt

[Stuart G]

14. I am shocked that radiation of food ..

could possibly happen near the explosion of 4 nuclear reactors.
Shocked.....:sarcasm:

[Snoutport]

15. Japan cites radiation in milk, spinach near plant

Source: Yahoo news

Japan announced the first signs that contamination from its tsunami-crippled nuclear complex has seeped into the food chain, saying that radiation levels in spinach and milk from farms near the facility exceeded government safety limits.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110320/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake_330

---

Sigh...

[fasttense]

16. Get use to it. The radiation will be there for generations and generations. n/t