Tag: international rules

USA sending huge concrete pumps to Fukushima nuclear plant (via nuclear-news)

On By southwerkIn business ethics2 Comments

This is certainly evidence of how seriously the United States is taking the nuclear crisis in Japan.

James Pilant

Massive pumps departing U.S. for Japan nuclear plant, By Vivian Kuo, April 8, 2011 Atlanta (CNN) — Two of the world’s largest concrete pumps will depart the United States later this week as part of the effort to resolve the crisis at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, officials said. Each pump weighs 190,000 pounds and has a boom reach of over 227 feet, and can pump water and concrete at massive rates. They will be loaded aboard enor … Read More

via nuclear-news

ALLOWING A SCIENTIST (rather than a politician) TO SPEAK (via Eslkevin’s Blog)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

I found this provocative.

I believe our blogging friend wanted that effect.

Why don’t you see if it has that effect on you?

James Pilant

Can We Produce Enough Energy with Green Sources or Must We Rely on Coal, Oil, and Nuclear? Ask a Scientist – April 2011 J. Fishman from Scottsdale, AZ, asks “Can we produce enough energy by using green sources, such as wind and solar power, or must we continue to rely on coal, oil, and/or nuclear energy?” and is answered by Jeff Deyette, Assistant Director of Energy Research and Analysis. In the past year we’ve seen too many examples of just how … Read More

via Eslkevin’s Blog

Strong aftershock rattles disaster-weary Japan (via Mannaismayaadventure’s Blog)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Excellent news story well illustrated.

Look at it if only to observe the beautiful layout of the blog.

James Pilant

Strong aftershock rattles disaster-weary Japan Strong aftershock rattles disaster-weary Japan By JAY ALABASTER and TOMOKO A. HOSAKA, Associated Press – Thu Apr 7, 7:07 pm ET SENDAI, Japan – A big aftershock rocked quake-weary Japan late Thursday, rattling nerves as it knocked out power to the northern part of the country and prompted tsunami warnings that were later canceled. The quake was initially measured at magnitude-7.4, though the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colo., later downgrade … Read More

via Mannaismayaadventure’s Blog

Emails from Fukushima workers reveal mental strain (via NewScientist)

On By southwerkIn business ethics

You’ll want to read this one. It’s kind of poignant.

Probably more than a few of you have been curious as to what the workers are going through. Here’s an idea.

James Pilant

From the NewScientist –

At one point up to 600 of them were living in a building on the grounds of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, without adequate food or sleep. The Fukushima workers – the men and women working round the clock to prevent the reactors deteriorating further – have been at the centre of world media attention, and now a trickle of emails and web postings from them is emerging.

Japan nuclear evacuation ‘will be long-term’ (via BBC News)

On By southwerkIn business ethics
Courtesy of Bethesda Software

This is incredible. We now have a nuclear zone where people will not be able to live for what must be at least years.

How much land are we talking about? Probably at least the twenty kilometer evacuation zone around the plant. That’s 1,256 square kilometers. Could it include some or all of the ten kilometer zone beyond that? If it does that’s 2,826 square kilometers. What if it keeps spreading? Your guess is as good as mine.

However, the radiation leakage is probably going to decide how much has to be evacuated for how long.

This is the part the advocates of nuclear power never seem to talk about, hundreds of square miles of what was once habitable land off limits to humans save for “safe” exposure times. Essentially a wasteland.

And this crisis is far from over.

James Pilant

From BBC News –

More than 70,000 people have been evacuated from a 20km (12-mile) evacuation zone around the Fukushima Daiichi plant.

Another 136,000 people who live in a 10km zone beyond that have been encouraged by the authorities to leave or to stay indoors.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the evacuation would be a “long-term” operation.

“So therefore, we are giving instructions on how to proceed with the continuation of children’s’ education, and the employment of people who are unable to work because of the evacuation order,” he said.

Highly radioactive water continues to leak at the plant; for the first time it has been found in groundwater 15m below reactor 1.

From further down –

The authorities are resisting calls from the UN’s atomic agency to expand the exclusion zone around the plant, after it found safe radiation limits had been exceeded at the village of Iitate, 40km away.

In case you are curious, that’s 5024 square kilometers.

Does Arnold Gundersen Have the Answers On the Nuclear Crisis in Japan?

On By southwerkIn business ethics

Mr. Gunderson has a lot to say about the crisis at the reactors in Japan. I saw one of his videos today for the first time. I am impressed. However, first impressions are not always accurate. If any of my kind readers have any opinion or knowledge about Mr. Gunderson or his organization, Fairewinds Associates, I want you to tell me.

Here are two videos. One is from yesterday and the other is from a network show.

James Pilant

On the Rachel Maddow Show –

Japan nuclear crisis: Sarkozy calls for global rules (via BBC)

On By southwerkIn business ethics4 Comments

Absolutely, there should be international rules and they should be tough standards as well. A coal fired plant, wind energy, etc. have little change of crossing national borders but a nuclear disaster can travel across nation after nation.

(Another little factoid, advocates of nuclear power leave out. I, for one, believe that endangering lives and land in other nations is irresponsible behavior.)

James Pilant

From BBC –

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for clear international standards on nuclear safety in light of the ongoing crisis at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Speaking in Japan, he proposed that nuclear safety authorities from the G20 countries discuss the issue in May.

Radiation detected in the sea near the stricken plant has again risen steeply.

Meanwhile, the UN has advised Japan to consider expanding the evacuation zone around the reactors.

Mr Sarkozy is the first foreign leader to visit Japan following the earthquake and tsunami that hit the country on 11 March.

From further down in the article.

“The problem is more about establishing safety norms than it is about the choice of nuclear energy, for this there is no alternative right now,” Mr Sarkozy was quoted as saying by Reuters.

“We must address this anomaly that there are no international safety norms for nuclear matters. We want international standards because the world is a village and what happens in Japan can have consequences elsewhere.”