Contaminated water crisis

Contaminated water storage already 91% full / Could be overflowing by this coming June

Related to this article.. 21 tanks and 1km of pipe must be decontaminated due to the system failure of ALPS / Not known when to reboot ALPS [URL]

 

From Tepco’s own data, their contaminated water storage is already 91% full. The report was published on 3/19/2014.

At the moment of 3/18/2014, the total volume of the contaminated water is 443,407 m3, where the total capacity is 485,900 m3 (91% full).

 

Though the storage volume doesn’t increase linearly, the total contaminated water increased 5,004 m3 since last week. If it keeps increasing in this this trend and Tepco cannot build more storage facility, the storage would start overflowing by this coming June.

Tepco states they are trying their best to build more tanks not to be caught up with by rapidly increasing contaminated water.

 

http://www.tepco.co.jp/cc/press/betu14_j/images/140319j0101.pdf

http://www.tepco.co.jp/tepconews/library/movie-01j.html

 

 

Downplay it in the beginning, and quietly add more information so nobody notices it. All for not letting the cattle escape. This is their strategy.

_____

Français :

See also

Eaux extrêmement radioactives – stockage déjà saturé à 91 % : ça devrait déborder courant juin

 

Article lié : 21 citernes et 1 km de tuyaux doivent être décontaminés à cause de la panne de ALPS : Date de redémarrage de ALPS inconnue

Selon les propres données de Tepco, leur stockage des eaux extrêmement radioactives est déjà saturé à 91 %. Le rapport a été publié le 19 mars 2014.
Au 18 mars 2014, le volume total d’eau extrêmement radioactive est de 443 407 m³ alors que l’espace total de stockage est de 485 900 m³ (plein à 91 %).

Bien que le volume de stockage n’augmente pas linéairement, le volume total des eaux est monté de 5 004 m³ depuis la semaine dernière. Si ça continue d’augmenter à cette vitesse et si Tepco ne peut ajouter plus d’espace de stockage, ça va commencer à déborder en juin prochain.
Tepco affirme qu’ils font de leur mieux pour construire de nouvelles citernes pour ne pas être rattrapés par l’augmentation rapide des eaux extrêmement radioactives.

http://www.tepco.co.jp/cc/press/betu14_j/images/140319j0101.pdf
http://www.tepco.co.jp/tepconews/library/movie-01j.html

Le minimiser au début et ajouter tranquillement de nouvelles information pour que personne ne le remarque. Tout pour que le troupeau ne s’échappe pas. C’est leur stratégie.

Mochizuki
Mochizuki
The writer of Fukushima Diary.
Related
Previous Tepco rejects to test chloride concentration of groundwater / “To conceal seawater comes up to Fukushima plant ?”
Next [100m3 overflow] All β detected 60m east from the tank / Contamination already penetrating to groundwater

33 Comments

  1. It is looking increasingly likely that within the next few months Tepco will start releasing hundreds of tons of unfiltered, highly radioactive water directly into the Pacific. Daily. This will have the following consequences:

    * It will be another severe blow to the already hard-hit Japanese fishing industry, particularly on the country’s Pacific coast.

    * It will incur the wrath of China, Korea and other neighbouring countries, which may impose economic sanctions and ratchet up military pressure on Japan.

    * It will contaminate large stretches of the Japanese coastline, including river mouths, estuaries and adjacent coastal land.

    * It will further compromise the ecological health of the entire Pacific Ocean, particularly north of the Equator.

    * It will pose additional health risks to populations living on the Pacific Rim, particularly the West Coast of North America.

    The question is, will it prompt national and international action to rein in the disaster?

    Tepco has FAILED.
    The situation at Fukushima is OUT OF CONTROL.
    The plant is COLLAPSING.
    The health of MILLIONS OF PEOPLE has already been compromised.
    The ongoing disaster poses a threat to the wellbeing of the ENTIRE PLANET.

    Only a concerted international response, funded and run on a war-footing basis, can prevent this disaster from getting much, much worse than it already is.

      1. The fact that they let you on here and let you push keys in a semi-coherent sequence, proves time and time again that honesty and the internet have nothing in common with each other.

  2. I understand the spirit of your comment, but I think your argument lacks a focus that would lead to a more useful discussion.

    In my view, your first paragraph misses the target. The storage tanks at TEPCO have enough filtered tritiated water to dump, to keep them busy for a number of months. This will prevent the need to dump the highly radioactive, unfiltered water that you are worried about being dumped in the near future.

    On your other points:

    TEPCO has Failed – True – in all issues Fukushima the Country of Japan has direct responsibility and control.

    The situation at Fukushima is out of control – True – At no point in time, since 3/11 has the situation been in control.

    The plant is collapsing – I am not quite sure what you mean with this one – Japan (TEPCO) seems willing to do what is needed to physically hold the buildings upright. There is the stack between units 1 and 2 that has a damaged structure and is highly radioactive. They are at least aware of this condition, noted it as a danger and have publicly announced it.

    The health of millions of people has already been compromised – Ok, again I am not quite sure what to do with this one. Each day of life compromises the health of all people.

    The ongoing disaster poses a threat to the well being of the entire planet – This is another one which is an issue of scale. The Earth can survive everything that has happened in the last few billion years, Fukushima is but another small event in the lifetime of the earth.

    —-

    The only thing preventing a more appropriate response to this disaster is the will of the People of Japan.

    The not so subtly named Nuclear Damage Compensation Facilitation Corporation owns majority voting interest in TEPCO.

    The Nuclear Damage Compensation Facilitation Corporation is Japan.
    The response to Fukushima today and each day in the last 3 years, is the response of the People of Japan, through their agents, the politicians.
    Japan voted a government into power that is aggressively pro-nuclear, both Nationally and in Tokyo, in the time since 3/11.

    Japan has created a situation where there is a need for trained organized construction labor, but no pay, job stability, health insurance, or any other incentive to even apply for a job working in Fukushima.

    Money does not solve all problems, but it allows for more options.
    Japan has the money acquire all the material and hire all the people needed to provide the best remediation plan possible.

    All it needs it the collective will of the People of Japan

    1. It is HIGHLY inappropriate for Japan to voluntarily release ADDITIONAL radioactive (tritiated) water directly into the already damaged Pacific Ocean.

      Drill a salt-cavern storage and/or build multi-wall tank farms, surface and/or subsea.

      Cheap, sloppy, bullshit has caused this VAST DISASTER. It will require a LOT of money to BEGIN a fix.

      No more TEPCO Cheap Bastard destruction please. TEPCO is an inept, immoral, bankrupt, orphan ward of the state.

      Sincerely,

      Bill Duff

        1. Yo, Niall-buddy – we’re still waiting for some meaningful input from you. Or aren’t they paying you enough?

    2. You raise several good points JSG, but I agree with Bill about releasing tritium. Granted tritiated water will be a lot less destructive than the unfiltered kind, but its release is still unacceptable and is likely to be strongly opposed by local fisherman’s associations. (The slogan ‘Don’t worry, it’s only tritium!’ is unlikely to reassure customers.) Moreover, how can we be sure that the water Tepco claims to have filtered is in fact ‘clean’ (apart from tritium)?

      My statement that the plant is collapsing referred to the fact that pipes and tanks are leaking on an almost daily basis, concrete tank foundations are cracking, tank bolts are corroding, the ground has subsided in places etc. The overall impression, at least to me, is that the plant is falling apart in slow motion, both physically and in terms of its management regime. Yes Tepco have propped up the reactor 4 building, but what about building 3? My understanding is that the entire building is too radioactive to approach – correct me if I’m wrong.

      Yes the people of Japan are responsible, but so is the international community. Western countries have just agreed to apply sanctions to Russia for its alleged misdeeds; why is there not similar pressure on Japan to stop poisoning the Pacific?

      1. Thank you for using the word ‘alleged’. I’m Russian, and there’s is a WORLD of information and basic history that the western media largely misreports when it comes to the events in Kiev/Crimea. I won’t even go into the complex historical and socio-cultural implications between our two countries that the US media just flat-out ignores.

        1. Lies and liars

          The actions of the Russian Army in South Ossetia were exemplary. These honorable RESCUE and DEFENDER actions are grossly misrepresented to most of the American people. BP, Georgia Republic, CIA and Dick Cheney attempted to murder the civilians of South Ossetia over a proposed pipeline route. Russia whipped Georgia like a rented mule.

          Lies, like dead fish, soon begin to stink. American citizens, much like Russian citizens are unfortunately quite accustomed to official lies. I have always enjoyed the cold war droll humor of the Russian expression.

          “There is no tass in Tass and no pravda in Pravda.”

          (tass = truth) (pravda = news) The capitalized words are state media names.

          Quite a clever turn of phrase. We shall now return to civilian nuclear power dangers from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

          Sincerely,

          Bill Duff

      2. I must admit that the tritiated water remark was a smart-ass, sarcastic comment. That somehow tritium, which we are told is a form of water, is less deadly than plutonium, which is universal for hideous unseen death. You and others are correct it must be dealt with, and not with the argument, that dilution is a valid solution.

        It amazes me that i have become so hardened by all of the macro-scale items, I forget about the micro-scale, of course the place is falling apart. Rust never sleeps, and other such thoughts. I know how much work it is just to keep my house in good condition, much less a 6 reactor power station. But then again I have motivation to do it well, and hire experts when I get in over my head.

        Management, while it is a tough call, is better than nothing. Management style goes to Bill Duff’s comment that TEPCO is Japan. Facing the combination of the cultural inertia of not being confrontational, the need to not admit to needing help, and the aggressively pro-nuclear administration, the power station does not stand a chance of success. I no nothing about the TEPCO boots on the ground at the site, they could have been ideal for and in their jobs, but anyone would have been crushed by trying to lead, given the conditions and resources over the last 3 years.

        It seems, that to Abe, people working at Fukushima are just widgets. He decided that 3.000 widgets was the right number for the problem, so put 3.000 of them there, add some money for moon suits, and the problem solved. Using this logic, I can understand the constant response of, ” It was a subcontractor. ” The problem is not so much that there are subcontractors, as it is that local management wants people who have some, any, set of skills. The worker bees mostly want to be seen as something other than a widget. And the cycle starts again.

        This project screams for the Self Defense Force to be used as leadership, Put 1 man on each team of 4. Rotate troops to manage radiation exposure levels, and leave the command and control in place for continuity. ” It would be the hell of Service to your Country, but the project would be done in a sane and reasonable way.

        Reactor 3 and associated parts, yes that is the real problem. It is its own circle of hell.

        The most recent indicator of this is that they are going to build a lead/steel/lead barrier between units 3 and 4. This is to lower the exposure to radiation while working in unit 4.

        —–

        “Yes the people of Japan are responsible, but so is the international community. Western countries have just agreed to apply sanctions to Russia for its alleged misdeeds; why is there not similar pressure on Japan to stop poisoning the Pacific?”

        My view on this:

        ( This space used to contain what I saw as a detailed, somewhat clear headed, and reasonable answer. I read it a couple of more times, realized it was a Troll, Flame, and personally abusive War in the making, so I deleted it.)

        The simple answer is political will power, or a lack of it.

        I think that the London Accords show this to be pollution of International Waters.

        There would be no question if this were a case of a Japanese supertanker, carrying crude oil to, for, and exclusive benefit of Japan, run aground on the shoreline of Fukushima power station.

        Leaking oil into a huge group of cute and furry otters, living a happy otter life in International Waters, having built an otter scale model of Tokyo as a place to live, work and frolic. Constructed exclusively from recycled materials that dissolve in crude oil. All while preparing to host the International Otter World Championship Summer Games in the year 2020.

        Seriously – there would be a dead or alive bounty on Abe’s head.

    3. I’m sorry, but in my view, your entire post misses the target of a meaningful, useful discussion. How does armchair-criticising a totally valid and correct post warrant answers? Post-parasites always like to sit atop an ivory tower of logic and make us all feel inferior just for stating our opinions.

      Who cares what you think, people like me would agree with what Martin says in a heartbeat, because it’s sincere, and simple. We sympathise with people like him, who are just trying to spread awareness – people like you seem to find pleasure in picking apart a post like some engineer picking at his motor, until there’s nothing left but meaningless words. You must be so proud of spending what looked like a good deal of time to build some retarded logical chain to conradict some guy on the net.

      “The plant is collapsing – I am not quite sure what you mean with this one”

      Let me spell it out for you: THE PLANT IS COLLAPSING. Yes, thank you TEPCO for stating the obvious, too bad you don’t have the balls to actually fix the problem (who cares, it’s only been, what, 3 years?) No one gives a shite if they’re trying to hold it up, because anyone in their right mind knows that their feeble attempts are just posturing to the public. The original poster stated a fact, because, like it or not, the plant is slowly but steadily collapsing due to weathering of exposed surfaces, weakened structures, etc.

      “The health of millions of people has already been compromised – Ok, again I am not quite sure what to do with this one. Each day of life compromises the health of all people.”
      “The ongoing disaster poses a threat to the well being of the entire planet – This is another one which is an issue of scale.”

      OMG, Don’t we all love people like you – “Derp, well actually, We’re not standing still at the moment, we’re all spinning at 1670 kilometers an hour, Derp!” I have a cousin who speaks exactly like you. Needless to say, everyone cringes when she opens her mouth. How about YOU offer something constructive to the discussion, instead of trying to be a smartass and failing miserably at it? Oh wait, all asses are technically smart, aren’t they? After all, it’s the same body that shares both the ass and the brain. Sound familiar? “Derp, he’s not actually dead, you know – the TRUE definition of dead according to the Haraford-Oxshire Dictionary of Stolen Souls, is the decomposition of the body matter within the grave, derpitty-derp!” Jesus Fucking Christ.

      “The response to Fukushima today and each day in the last 3 years, is the response of the People of Japan, through their agents, the politicians.”

      HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, oh, mercy. This sounds like the naive musings of an American (I’m guessing you’re from the US – if not, doesn;t really change the equation) that still believes in his own system of justice and his/her elected politician’s good will and willingness to help them in all matters of life. How’s Obama’s ‘change’ so far?

      “Japan voted a government into power that is aggressively pro-nuclear, both Nationally and in Tokyo, in the time since 3/11.”

      Nowhere in Abe Simpson’s campaign did I hear anything about covering up a nuclear disaster the likes of which we’ve never seen in the history of mankind. Go ahead and blame the everyman for voting for the usual combo lower taxes, more jobs, and a better economy. It just makes you look like an ass, is what it does. It’s like blaming all Americans for causing 9/11 or the Boston Bombings, jsut because they tried to do the right thing at the time and voted for the same greasy politician that you get, whether you vote right, left, center, independent; it doesn’t matter, the system is pretty much rigged that unless you’re a lying, cheating, corrupt bastard, chances are you won’t get as far as a prime ministerial or presidential campaign.
      Again, naive musings based on the delusion that ‘there’s someone out there who’s cares about me and my children, and just… well just wants to help, gosh darnnit.’.

      See, I can do that too. Wasting 30 minutes of my life to write some inane comment on the interwebs, built solely on picking apart and contradicting the post of ‘Just Some Guy’. We’ve got so much in common.

      2. Smarticus,

        Yes I am from the USA. I had no choice in the matter.

        ” Again, naive musings based on the delusion that ‘there’s someone out there who’s cares about me and my children, and just… well just wants to help, gosh darnnit.’.”

        This is me too, someone who hopes that there is a person kind enough to clear the driveway of snow, for the old widow next door, and to bring her morning paper from the curb, up to her front door, so she does not have to go outside. Thankfully the guy up the street has a snowblower that he uses to clean the snow, and the paper is taken up to her door. There are people who just want to help.

        Blind trust in my politicians, not even close. But Sarah Palin as 1st in line to take over the position as President, no, Joe Biden will win every time if I am given the choice.

        Clearly you feel that my post warranted discussion. I am not trying to make anyone feel inferior. Indeed I completely agreed with several points in the thread. Some of the topics were overly broad, and I did not know what the discussion was intended. You have narrowed topics down to a point where useful discussion is possible.

        I have no problem with Martin, and I did try to give respect to his thoughts, agreed where I thought he was correct, and questioned where overly broad. In response I was corrected in a number of places (the plant collapsing was an excellent example) were I was wrong in thought or fact. The entire point of debate is to have an interaction, free of personal attacks. I do think that it makes a difference

        The world is falling apart in many ways. In nuclear problems alone, Hanford nuclear waste facility has hospitalized 11 workers in the last 10 days, there have been problems at a local and international level at the WIPP nuclear waste dump in New Mexico and the international security meeting for nuclear materials in The Hague this week.

        Some time ago, our host, Iori Mochizuki, asked for readers of this forum, to specifically and directly write to the People of Japan. He asked that we show ways in which they held responsibility for Fukushima. We were told that he would even translate some in Japanese. So yes, I do make an effort to point out specifics.

        You hold a valid point with blaming all Americans for 9/11, but the event brought the entire country together, we reacted quickly, respectfully and did what we could to repair the damage, and make sure that the event did not happen again, the specific actions can be called into question but not the sense of unity. Whatever my feelings for George Bush, he did not distract anyone from the issue and redirect to a happy place, such as hosting the Olympics. You are correct, it is all about the right thing, at the right time.

        On the issue of standing still vs. 1670 km/h, it is all a matter of prospective. Monty Python’s “The Universe Song,” has a great description of various options.

        The time for placing the blame on TEPCO is gone. In September 2013 Abe told the world that the situation was “under control”. Earlier in September he said these words, “There is heightened concern among the public, particularly about the contaminated water problem.””This is an urgent matter that needs to be addressed. The government will step in to take firm measures.”

  3. If the International Nuclear Industry wanted to demonstrate that they were competent, an International team, properly funded, with the appropriate expertise would get to work on Fukushima.
    Somewhere a committee has decided that the plant is a basket case, thrown up their hands, said ‘Do something about the rods on the tower, and forget the rest’.
    Down playing the ecological consequences on the foodchain, means that the bifocation genetic consequences on the grandchildren, great grandchildren and their potential descendents around the Pacific is for the extinction of all the mammals within 4 to 10 generations.
    I have looked after a little girl with bifocation on her fingers, which is one of the symptoms of genetic damage seen in the plant and insect population. She could chirp and move around a little, but not speak, extremely disabled.
    As a grandmother of 24 kids, I am incredibly horrified by the lack of action to take the children and people of child rearing age out of immediate danger.
    What does it take for the Japanese Government to realise THEIR families have no future?

    1. You’ve raised an interesting question, Helen. If the nuclear industry is concerned about its public image, why not showcase its response to the Fukushima crisis?

      The most likely (and most depressing) answer is that Fukushima really is a basket case – at least, barring the kind of expenses normally reserved for wars. The industry evidently decided that the ‘safest’ and most profitable course was to downplay the severity of the disaster, confident in the compliance of the MSM.

      But, one might wonder, aren’t they concerned about the likely PR impact of, say, the collapse of SFP3 or the mass release of contaminated water from the tank farm (either of which could result from an 8+ earthquake and/or tsunami)?

      My guess is that their thinking runs,‘If we can get away with a triple meltdown we can get away with anything’.

      But…but…why doesn’t the Japanese Government protect its children? Why doesn’t the international community act? Why don’t we DO something?

      Because, I’m afraid, most of us are in a stupor: anaesthetised by consumerism, cowed by economic forces, lulled by propaganda, numbed by numbers, stupefied by TV.

      1. Mr Bill Duff is again posting under several names. It has not yet occured to him that ngt everyone posts incoherent rants written in a dry, longwinded and rambling fashion, with occasional, incorrect capitalization of keywords.

      2. “But…but…why doesn’t the Japanese Government protect its children?”

        Umm… because they’re the government? Old, wrinkly bastards in suits who only care about their golf score, and don’t even give two craps about their own children.

        1. Mr Bill Duff forgets that the pro nuclear parties were democratically elected, and only 5000 people turned out at the recent anti nuke protest. So, they are actually doing a fine job of representing the populations interests.

          1. Silence is Golden

            What ‘We’ know is that Japan passed a rigorous ‘State Secrets Law’, which rivals their WWII statutes. Routine job requirements and practices for journalism, accident reporting, engineering ethics and public health are now criminal (felony) acts.

            The Japanese citizenry is as tightly constrained as a Warsaw Jew, circa 1940.

            Yep, that Japanese Government ‘is doing a heck of a job’ with that ‘Nuclular’ clean up.

            Yesireebob!

        2. Put another log on the fire

          http www telegraph co uk/ (health/healthnews/10717566/Aborted-babies-incinerated-to-heat-UK-hospitals) html

          Aborted babies incinerated to heat UK hospitals

          The remains of more than 15,000 babies were incinerated as ‘clinical waste’ by hospitals in Britain with some used in ‘waste to energy’ plants

          Home » Health » Health News By Sarah Knapton, Science Correspondent 7:00AM GMT 24 Mar 2014

          One of the country’s leading hospitals, Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge, incinerated 797 babies below 13 weeks gestation at their own ‘waste to energy’ plant. The mothers were told the remains had been ‘cremated.’

  4. Credit where credit is due

    I do not claim credit for the work of others. Nor do I wish to receive credit for their insights, understanding and/or prose. Similarly I am more content to take credit for my own mistakes, than those of others.

    NIALL is falsely attributing several posts and authors to me. NIALL is a liar and a fool. So nothing is changing but the focus of his silly rants. The actual authors are doing a pretty good job all by themselves. And they are increasingly aware of what a stupid lunatic NIALL is.

    The widening ripples of informed nuclear discussion is a Tsunami Nightmare Scenario for ‘Team Nuke’. Their little traps and tricks are wearing thin. All that remains is the exorbitant and dangerous REALITY, that the civilian nuclear power industry represents.

    Keep up the good work!

    Sincerely,

    Bill Duff

        1. Really, asking the host who is already doing the impossible, to satisfy your wishes on such a minor issue, is at the very least a most selfish act. Also most connections are dynamic and subject to change at the whim of the ISP. This places very real limits the value of the information.

          I maintain an open connection on one of my wireless routers, for visiting guests. I have found that it is occasionally used by others without my permission. This is a crime in the USA. I broadcast the SSID of my open connection, this allows others to see, and thus avoid connecting to my network. It seems that a large number of people have equipment (cell phones for example), that attempt to connect to any open network. I view most people as honest, and that they connect to my system unintentionally, I feel no need to log this information.

          It also allows anyone including, but not limited to first responders, in an emergency situation to have internet access, which could be valuable public service.

          In cooperation with a number of neighbors, we each have a wireless router with the same SSID. This allows us to travel around much of the community, to the local elementary school, the community pool and other areas and appear to be on the same network. It is a community wide wi-fi service.

          So I can be hosting friends, neighbors, emergency, responders, and people driving through the community, and my own computers or TCP/IP devices with internet service. As all of these connections would be run through my ISP they would be routed through the same IP address. This means that looking toward my network, it would be possible to have many different people with the same IP address.

          Then of course we could all be using the same proxy, in any location throughout the world. It is completely possible to have 20 people, each from a different country, running through the same dynamic IP address, set to change every hour, is a country that is not common to any of us.

          Asking for an IP address, in an attempt to identify and individual, does not make for a very solid argument.

          That being said I am currently on an ISP assigned dynamic connection at: 98 117 215 177 Verizon – Baltimore MD USA .

          I will likely release my lease on this number and get another from the ISP later, just to insure failure of you plan to track members by IP address.

      2. Niall,

        I am guessing that when you type ‘ Lori ‘ you are referring to our host Iori Mochizuki.

        The name starts with the capital letter ‘ I ‘ (NATO ‘INDIA’) and not ‘ L ‘ (NATO ‘LIMA’)

        Iori is a personal name in Japanese

        Lori is a variant of Laurie, or diminutive or Loretta and Lorraine

        Common courtesy to spell the name of your host correctly.

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About this site

This website updates the latest news about the Fukushima nuclear plant and also archives the past news from 2011. Because it's always updated and added live, articles, categories and the tags are not necessarily fitted in the latest format.
I am the writer of this website. About page remains in 2014. This is because my memory about 311 was clearer than now, 2023, and I think it can have a historical value. Now I'm living in Romania with 3 cats as an independent data scientist.
Actually, nothing has progressed in the plant since 2011. We still don't even know what is going on inside. They must keep cooling the crippled reactors by water, but additionally groundwater keeps flowing into the reactor buildings from the broken parts. This is why highly contaminated water is always produced more than it can circulate. Tepco is planning to officially discharge this water to the Pacific but Tritium is still remaining in it. They dilute this with seawater so that it is legally safe, but scientifically the same amount of radioactive tritium is contained. They say it is safe to discharge, but none of them have drunk it.

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