Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Fukushima Has Been Leaking Radioactive Water Since May, But Tepco Didn’t Tell Anyone [View all]Octafish
(55,745 posts)7. TEPCO Lied Big regarding Fukushima from March 11, 2011
TEPCO: Plutonium is not dangerous. So. Where's the Boss?

"It is not a health risk to humans," the company said.
TEPCO says plutonium found on quake-damaged plant grounds
By the CNN Wire Staff
March 28, 2011 -- Updated 1735 GMT (0135 HKT)
okyo (CNN) -- Some plutonium found in soil on the grounds of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant may have come from its earthquake-damaged reactors, but it poses no human health risk, the plant's owners reported Monday.
The element was found in soil samples taken March 21-22 from five locations around the plant, the Tokyo Electric Power Company told CNN late Monday. The company said it was equivalent to the amounts that fell on Japan following aboveground nuclear weapons tests by other countries in past decades.
"It is not a health risk to humans," the company said. But it added, "Just in case, TEPCO will increase the monitoring of the nuclear plant grounds and the surrounding environment."
Plutonium is a byproduct of nuclear reactions that is also part of the fuel mix at the plant's No. 3 reactor. It can be a serious health hazard if inhaled or ingested, but external exposure poses little health risk, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Three plutonium isotopes -- Pu-238, -239 and -240 -- were found in soil at five different points inside the plant grounds, Tokyo Electric reported. It said that plutonium found in two of the samples could have come out of the reactors that were damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that ravaged northern Japan.
CONTINUED...
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/28/japan.nuclear.plutonium/?hpt=T2
So, if plutonium's not a health risk, why the containment building? Why the special suits? Why'd the boss decide to stay on vacation?
Vanishing act by Japanese executive during nuclear crisis raises questions
By Andrew Higgins
Washington Post
March 28, 1:51 PM
TOKYO In normal times, Masataka Shimizu lives in The Tower, a luxury high rise in the same upscale Tokyo district as the U.S. Embassy. But he hasnt been been there for more than two weeks, according to a uniformed doorman.
Death, devastation grip Japan following quake:?A massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck the eastern coast of Japan on Friday afternoon, triggering tsunamis that devastated the coastline north of Tokyo.
Gallery: Death, devastation grip Japan following quake:?A massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck the eastern coast of Japan on Friday afternoon, triggering tsunamis that devastated the coastline north of Tokyo.
In fact, nobody has seen much recently of the president of Tokyo Electric Power Co., or Tepco, owner of a haywire nuclear power plant just 150 miles from the Japanese capital.
He is the most invisible and also most reviled chief executive in Japan.
CONTINUED...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/vanishing-act-by-japanese-executive-during-nuclear-crisis-raises-questions/2011/03/28/AFDnHNpB_story.html
Here's what I think is important to convey:
DOE-STD-1128-98
Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiological Protection in Plutonium Facilities
EXCERPT...
4.2.3 Characteristics of Plutonium Contamination
There are few characteristics of plutonium contamination that are unique. Plutonium
contamination may be in many physical and chemical forms. (See Section 2.0 for the many
potential sources of plutonium contamination from combustion products of a plutonium fire
to radiolytic products from long-term storage.) [font color="purple"]The one characteristic that many believe is
unique to plutonium is its ability to migrate with no apparent motive force[/font color]. Whether from
alpha recoil or some other mechanism, plutonium contamination, if not contained or
removed, will spread relatively rapidly throughout an area.
SOURCE: http://energy.gov/ehss/downloads/doe-std-1128-98-0
Just because it's not on the tee vee doesn't mean TEPCO's bosses, their bosses in government, their gillionaire owners, and Nuke Inc know what a global catastrophe Fukushima is.

"It is not a health risk to humans," the company said.
TEPCO says plutonium found on quake-damaged plant grounds
By the CNN Wire Staff
March 28, 2011 -- Updated 1735 GMT (0135 HKT)
okyo (CNN) -- Some plutonium found in soil on the grounds of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant may have come from its earthquake-damaged reactors, but it poses no human health risk, the plant's owners reported Monday.
The element was found in soil samples taken March 21-22 from five locations around the plant, the Tokyo Electric Power Company told CNN late Monday. The company said it was equivalent to the amounts that fell on Japan following aboveground nuclear weapons tests by other countries in past decades.
"It is not a health risk to humans," the company said. But it added, "Just in case, TEPCO will increase the monitoring of the nuclear plant grounds and the surrounding environment."
Plutonium is a byproduct of nuclear reactions that is also part of the fuel mix at the plant's No. 3 reactor. It can be a serious health hazard if inhaled or ingested, but external exposure poses little health risk, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Three plutonium isotopes -- Pu-238, -239 and -240 -- were found in soil at five different points inside the plant grounds, Tokyo Electric reported. It said that plutonium found in two of the samples could have come out of the reactors that were damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that ravaged northern Japan.
CONTINUED...
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/28/japan.nuclear.plutonium/?hpt=T2
So, if plutonium's not a health risk, why the containment building? Why the special suits? Why'd the boss decide to stay on vacation?
Vanishing act by Japanese executive during nuclear crisis raises questions
By Andrew Higgins
Washington Post
March 28, 1:51 PM
TOKYO In normal times, Masataka Shimizu lives in The Tower, a luxury high rise in the same upscale Tokyo district as the U.S. Embassy. But he hasnt been been there for more than two weeks, according to a uniformed doorman.
Death, devastation grip Japan following quake:?A massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck the eastern coast of Japan on Friday afternoon, triggering tsunamis that devastated the coastline north of Tokyo.
Gallery: Death, devastation grip Japan following quake:?A massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake and several powerful aftershocks struck the eastern coast of Japan on Friday afternoon, triggering tsunamis that devastated the coastline north of Tokyo.
In fact, nobody has seen much recently of the president of Tokyo Electric Power Co., or Tepco, owner of a haywire nuclear power plant just 150 miles from the Japanese capital.
He is the most invisible and also most reviled chief executive in Japan.
CONTINUED...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/vanishing-act-by-japanese-executive-during-nuclear-crisis-raises-questions/2011/03/28/AFDnHNpB_story.html
Here's what I think is important to convey:
DOE-STD-1128-98
Guide of Good Practices for Occupational Radiological Protection in Plutonium Facilities
EXCERPT...
4.2.3 Characteristics of Plutonium Contamination
There are few characteristics of plutonium contamination that are unique. Plutonium
contamination may be in many physical and chemical forms. (See Section 2.0 for the many
potential sources of plutonium contamination from combustion products of a plutonium fire
to radiolytic products from long-term storage.) [font color="purple"]The one characteristic that many believe is
unique to plutonium is its ability to migrate with no apparent motive force[/font color]. Whether from
alpha recoil or some other mechanism, plutonium contamination, if not contained or
removed, will spread relatively rapidly throughout an area.
SOURCE: http://energy.gov/ehss/downloads/doe-std-1128-98-0
Just because it's not on the tee vee doesn't mean TEPCO's bosses, their bosses in government, their gillionaire owners, and Nuke Inc know what a global catastrophe Fukushima is.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
9 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations

Fukushima Has Been Leaking Radioactive Water Since May, But Tepco Didn’t Tell Anyone [View all]
Jesus Malverde
Feb 2015
OP
Out here in California, we had a nuclear plant at San Onofre, just north of San Diego
Wella
Feb 2015
#4
And they rarely ever admit even how bad the bad is. Dams unstable upstream of plants in
Mnemosyne
Feb 2015
#5
Boone Dam (sinkhole) in Tennessee and Wanapum Dam (large crack) in Washington. vw. nt
Mnemosyne
Feb 2015
#8