Amidst the aftermath of the tsunami in Fukushima, Japan, a conspicuous incident unfolded at the beleaguered Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Remarkably radioactive fluid seeped from a treatment apparatus, casting a shadow of concern. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and meticulous radiation monitoring revealed no discernible impact on the surrounding environment, as affirmed by the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings on Thursday.
The revelation of the leakage transpired on Wednesday morning, as a vigilant plant worker conducted routine valve checks on the SARRY treatment machine, specifically designed to extricate cesium from the tainted water. This particular machine, undergoing maintenance at the time, had been temporarily deactivated. Approximately 5.5 metric tons (equivalent to 6 tons) of radioactive water, akin to the volume needed to fill two conventional backyard swimming pools, seeped out through an air vent. This resulted in the formation of a pool on an iron plate outdoors, with traces permeating the adjacent soil. Remarkably, no radioactive water managed to escape beyond the plant’s confines.
The timeline of the leakage remains unclear, although TEPCO asserts that no irregularities were identified during an inspection on the preceding Tuesday. The incident might be attributed to inadvertently open valves, a consequence of workers neglecting to seal them while flushing the machine with filtered water. Notably, 10 out of the 16 valves that should have been closed remained open during the flushing process. The leakage was promptly arrested upon closing these valves.
Radiation levels in the vicinity of the plant, as well as within gutters on the compound, exhibited no discernable elevation. It is essential to note that this particular filtration machine is an integral part of TEPCO’s contentious wastewater discharge initiative, inaugurated in August. The Fukushima Daiichi plant, scarred by triple meltdowns in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, has been grappling with the repercussions ever since.
These discharges, anticipated to persist over several decades, have encountered vehement opposition from fishing communities and neighboring nations, with China swiftly imposing a ban on all imports of Japanese seafood. This recent leak follows closely on the heels of another inadvertent discharge at a distinct treatment facility known as the Advanced Liquid Processing System, or ALPS.
In that particular mishap, four workers found themselves doused with radioactive liquid waste while engaged in the cleaning of ALPS piping. While two of them briefly underwent hospitalization due to skin contamination, none exhibited symptoms indicative of poisoning.
