Radiation Found in Tokyo Water, Infants Shouldn't Drink - NHK

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Radiation found in Tokyo water, infants shouldn't drink - NHK

March 23 | Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:30am EDT

(Reuters) - Radiation exceeding health limits for infants was found in a Tokyo city water purifier and authorities are advising that the water not be given to babies, a Tokyo Metropolitan Government official said, confirming an earlier report by NHK public TV.

Engineers were battling to cool reactors at the six-reactor Fukushima nuclear plant in northeast Japan that was crippled by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami as concerns spread about contamination of food and water.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/23/japan-water-idUSS7E7EN00420110323

[truthisfreedom]

1. Oh jesus f*ck. How could it be above limits already, so far away? 148 miles?

They're such toast. If it's this bad already, and they have weeks or months of this left to go until the reactors are stabilized...

[highplainsdem]

3. This is really devastating news.

[PoliticAverse]

6. Because radioactive iodine is especially bad for children...

who are most susceptible to thyroid cancer.

Unfortunately the article doesn't go into specifics as to what the levels and safety limits are.

[highplainsdem]

8. The Sky News article I posted about the same time, merged into this one as reply 2, does have more

details.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Japan-Radiation-In-Tokyo-Tap-Water-Is-Unsafe-For-Infants-Despite-Fukushima-Nuclear-Plant-Boost/Article/201103415958344?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_2&lid=ARTICLE_15958344_Japan%3A_Radiation_In_Tokyo_T

"Under government guidelines, water containing a radioactive substance of more than 100 becquerels per kilogramme should not be used for milk for babies," he said.

In one Tokyo ward, a water sample contained more than double the legal limit, at 210 becquerels per kilogramme, he added.

But those two paragraphs had been added to the story after I posted it. It was obviously updated as soon as they had more info. I think the rest of the current article is the same as it was originally.

[PoliticAverse]

11. Thanks for the update. I wonder what the level was before the earthquake. n/t

[marions ghost]

30. Exactly

Is it ONLY iodine? What else is making the water radioactive?

Media really VAGUE on the technical points all of a sudden.

[highplainsdem]

2. Japan: Tokyo Tap Water 'Unsafe For Infants'

Source: Sky News

Breaking News

5:49am UK, Wednesday March 23, 2011
Japan: Tokyo Tap Water 'Unsafe For Infants'


Radiation detected in the quake-hit Japanese capital's tap water exceeds safe level for infants, it is being reported.

News of the fears in Tokyo was announced by a government official, following tests by city authorities.

It came as workers at the country's leaking nuclear complex hoped to bring an end to the plant's crisis after hooking up power lines to all six of its reactor units.

-snip-



Read more: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Japan-Radiation-In-Tokyo-Tap-Water-Is-Unsafe-For-Infants-Despite-Fukushima-Nuclear-Plant-Boost/Article/201103415958344?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_2&lid=ARTICLE_15958344_Japan%3A_Radiation_In_Tokyo_T

[madmax]

4. This is horrible news.

Those who can afford to leave will leave and those who can't will have to live with the consequences.

[hlthe2b]

5. Damn, damn, damn...

this is really horrendous news.

[PoliticAverse]

7. After such an announcement as an adult I wouldn't be drinking the water either. n/t

[truthisfreedom]

9. There's got to be a filter that will lock up all iodine dissolved in water.

[PoliticAverse]

15. Activated carbon filters will remove iodine from water.

They are often used by people because they also remove chlorine that many
water systems add for purification.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_carbon

[Kolesar]

19. Good article...eom!

[marions ghost]

31. Is it only iodine?

Why not cesium as well?

(Any scientists out there?)

[Citizen Worker]

10. What will become of 35,000,000 people in the greater Tokyo-Yokohama area? Is there an end to this

nightmare?

[PoliticAverse]

12. Kyodo news version of the story...

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/80435.html

Specifically mentions it is radioactive iodine and that the 210 becquerels level is
less than the "300-becquerel limit for people other than infants."

I wouldn't drink the water...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30169195@N00/2327967008

[Hissyspit]

13. NHK Version:

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/23_27.html

High levels of iodine in Tokyo tap water

Radioactive iodine has been detected in Tokyo tap water in levels above the safe limit for infants.

The Tokyo Metropolitan government says 210 becquerels of iodine-131 were detected on Tuesday in one liter of water at one of its purification plants in northern Tokyo.

A sampling on Wednesday also showed roughly 190 becquerels per liter.

These levels are below the 300-becquerel per liter safe limit for adults, but far above the 100-becquerel limit for infants. Tokyo says infants in the central 23 wards, plus 5 adjacent cities, should refrain from drinking tap water.

[highplainsdem]

14. More info:

From a Wall Street Journal story:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703921204576217652060847580.html

* MARCH 23, 2011, 3:27 A.M. ET

Nuclear Agency Expects to Restore Cooling Soon

-snip-

On Wednesday afternoon, the Tokyo government said that a sample of water from one of its main purification plants had found radioactive iodine levels of 210 becquerels per kilogram, about double the permissible legal level for infants, although still considered safe for adults. While not certain, officials said they suspect that the airborne iodine had drifted over rivers that feed Tokyo's water system and had come down in recent rainfall.

-snip-

And this page from the C40 Cities (Clinton Climate Initiative) site has info on the Tokyo water system:

http://www.c40cities.org/bestpractices/water/tokyo_waterworks.jsp

That mentions the rivers. Since they originate in mountains, they'd be picking up not just rainfall, but melting snow. All that runoff.

[PoliticAverse]

16. Fortunately Iodine-131 has a half life of only about 8 days.

And iodine can be filtered from water using an activated charcoal filter.

The question though is are there other radioactive substances in the water ?

Cesium-137 (half life 30 years) ?

[highplainsdem]

22. I've searched Google News a few times for any info on other radioactive substances in the tap water,

but haven't found anything yet. (Probably time to check again...)

[marions ghost]

32. Right

If Iodine is there, can we assume that cesium is also?

[lostnfound]

17. Another cost externalized! Extra burden on new moms! No problem!

They can handle it! They don't have anything better to do with their time than lug bottled water (from what source is that??) home from the grocery stores. And they've got all that extra energy after giving birth. Who better for the nuclear industry to dump their costs on?

And how about that breastfeeding, anyway?

[Stuart G]

18. k & r

[reformist2]

20. 210 Bq per liter is 12,600 counts per minute (per liter), just for some perspective.

Normal atmospheric background radiation as measured by a handheld Geiger counter is 20 counts per minute.

[highplainsdem]

23. Thanks for the info! Wow...

[Overseas]

21. Sad K&R.

And sad that Tokyo Electric Power Co has covered up safety problems before.

[highplainsdem]

24. Tokyo's municipal government is distributing bottles of water to households with infants:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/concern-in-japan-over-radiation-in-tap-water-2250348.html

Tokyo's municipal government said it would distribute 240,000 bottles of water to households with infants. They estimated that there are currently 80,000 babies in the affected area, with each infant getting three bottles of 550 milliliters.

Edano pleaded with shoppers to restrict purchases of bottled water to the bare necessity, urging them to think of tsunami victims in need.

"We have to consider Miyagi, where there is no drinking water at all," he said, referring to a stricken region. "Under these conditions, we would appreciate it if people would avoid buying more water than they need."

[highplainsdem]

25. "Officials also checked for cesium-137...and did not find any traces" - The Japan Times

FINALLY found some info on whether they'd found any other radioactive substances. According to this, they checked for cesium and didn't find it:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110324a1.html

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Radiation rises in Tokyo water
Don't let babies under age 1 drink from the tap, officials say

By MINORU MATSUTANI
Staff writer

Radioactive iodine exceeding official levels for infants was detected Wednesday in water in a purification plant in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, prompting the metropolitan government to advise residents not to let babies younger than 1 year old drink tap water or powdered milk made with it in the 23 wards and five cities.

-snip-

The metropolitan government collected water from its Kanamachi, Asaka and Ozaku purification plants Tuesday to check the density of radioactive substances.

-snip-

Officials also checked for cesium-137, another radioactive substance, at the three purification plants, and did not find any traces, Yoshida said.

-snip-

[PoliticAverse]

35. Thanks for the update. n/t

[Snoutport]

26. Tokyo tap water not safe for infants, officials warn

Source: LA TIMES

Infants in Tokyo and five surrounding cities should not be allowed to consume tap water, the city's government said Wednesday after elevated levels of radioactive iodine from a crippled nuclear plant were detected at a water treatment plant.

Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan urged consumers to not eat a dozen types of contaminated vegetables from the region surrounding the nuclear facility 150 miles northeast of the capital and also expanded a shipment ban

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-japan-tokyo-water-20110324,0,7951826.story

---

Just infants? I find that kind of sketchy.

[hedgehog]

27. Radiation is most hazardous to rapidly dividing cells - such as those

found in young infants.

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

28. apparently, now it extends to everyone in Tokyo

see here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x566101

[highplainsdem]

36. I'll check again, but I haven't seen any stories yet via Google News saying it extends to everyone.

I hope it doesn't.

[highplainsdem]

37. I just checked Google News again for the stories on this subject in the last two hours. All are

still just saying the water is unsafe for infants, but not for older children and adults.

But if I see anything about that health warning being extended to everyone, I'll post about it here, if someone else hasn't posted about it first.

[damntexdem]

34. Well, not safe for infants nor for those who were once infants.

Just a little omission from the warning.

;-)

[grahamhgreen]

29. MORE: "Japan nuclear crisis: Tokyo tap water not safe for infants"

"A water treatment centre in central Tokyo that supplies much of the city's tap water found that some water contained 210 becquerels per litre of iodine 131.

A city official said: "Under government guidelines, water containing a radioactive substance of more than 100 becquerels per kilogram should not be used for milk for babies."
..........

Earlier in the day, Naoto Kan, the prime minister, instructed the governor of Fukushima prefecture to order residents not to eat leaf vegetables grown in the prefecture after radioactivity far beyond legal limits was found in 11 varieties.

Some 82,000 becquerels of cesium were found in a variety of vegetables, 164 times the legal limit, as well as 15,000 becquerels of radioactive iodine, more than seven times the permissible level. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8401179/Japan-nuclear-crisis-Tokyo-tap-water-not-safe-for-infants.html

[marions ghost]

33. do we have any idea

how much (total) radioactive substances the plants are releasing still?

[closeupready]

38. In relative terms, it seems like that aspect has fallen off the radar, hasn't it?

Bad omen, IMO. It's probably worse than last week.

[marions ghost]

39. yeah

I mean it's just a nagging question....:banghead:

Afraid the answer amounts to :shrug:

Just measure the drinking water...that's how they'll know...

[highplainsdem]

40. Link to BBC video:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12839485