IAEA's New Warning Sign for Ionizing Radiation

It may be better to not “know” what is happening now.  We have meltdowns in all three of Fukushima’s Power Plants’ reactors, plus number four’s elevated floor storage pool is in jeopardy of collapsing from inside of what remains of the building.

Aftershocks continue in Japan.  It is amazing how many people knew about “The Rapture” and how few know that there is a very real radioactive catastrophe still unfolding in Fukushima, Japan that affects us all, and our world. It is not just the air we breathe; it is the food we eat, the water we drink, and our whole bio-diverse interconnected system to consider. Radioactive particles are being found in the USA and continue to be a concern for all of us around the world.  Learn more about the danger, click here to watch video on radioactive particles.

Meltdown through containment vessels in three nuclear reactors via a global media perspective;

The radiation exposure seems minimal; 3 millisieverts in 20 minutes is what is being reported that workers are exposed to who entered the No.#3 reactor at Fukushima.  The wording below reduces the severity of the amount of radiation exposure, comparing ten minutes with the amount of radiation for the entire year, instead of an hour, (which the amount is greater than) and using words like “less than”.  Can the media distract public fear?

“The two TEPCO employees that entered the No. #3 reactor building on Wednesday evening were exposed to less than 3 millisieverts of radiation during their 10-minute stay, compared with the government-set limit of 250 millisieverts per worker per year.”

These workers are continuing to go onsite…What is not mentioned (see below), or in the many articles that concern the amount of radiation exposure, is that the radiation dose is cumulative.  This is a high dose of radiation for 20 minutes.

The media, government and corporate officials’ approach to minimize the severity and calm the public perception of the situation in the long run does not serve anyone, especially the public.  People deserve the opportunity to make responsible decisions regarding their own health and livelihood, and be informed from authority that is endowed with trust.

If the reactor’s pressure vessels are damaged, as we now know is the case in No.#1, and looks to be the case recently proven also in No. #2 and No.#3 reactors, this remains unchartered territory.  This is  a critical situation with unknown outcomes that will continue for at least several months more.  If you are wondering how TEPCO in good conscious can now make the statement; “We don’t think it will develop into a worse situation,”  take into consideration that this comes from a company who was brought to court about the back-up safety systems of their nuclear power plants, and failed to make the safety changes when warned prior. Unfortunately none of this is comforting.

One thing all can agree on is that this situation is constantly changing so check out the IAEA’s Facebook page for up to the minute status of the continuing nuclear catastrophe at Fukushima, the IAEA team is there now to review. They also are now using a new sign to communicate a radio active area,  to reduce deaths and serious injuries from exposure to radioactive sources. Have you seen this yet?  “It is a supplementary warning to the trefoil, which has no intuitive meaning and little recognition beyond those educated in its significance,” said staff report from the IAEA. A study about the old sign showed the symbol did not clearly communicate to the public any inherit danger.

Fukushima can’t be stopped at this point, but we can take a look at what we continue to have at stake, in each country with nuclear power.  Germany recently, and today we congratulate Switzerland for the decision to phase out nuclear power now entirely– for renewable energy.

Many countries have begun a review of their nuclear power plants. The EU protested yesterday the proposed review of nuclear to exclude the possibility of safety if terrorist attack,  in the assessment.  There seems to be agreement on the concern here from both the English and the Irish, but some controversy about Sellafield; an Irish media outlet says it will be excluded in the review, while an English media outlet says it will be included ?

Here in the USA right now, the NRC is reviewing all power plants with a report expected to be complete mid July.  World Team Now is focused on these potentially “fatal 4” power plants in largely populated coastal areas;

  1. Indian Point, NY
  2. Oyster Creek, NJ
  3. San Onofre, CA
  4. Diablo Canyon, CA

The Nuclear Power Licensing Reform Act of 2011  reflect our concern about these plants. We can make different choices –with the best method to solve a catastrophe; avoid one.  Defense: close antiquated nuclear power plants.  Offense: open up renewable energy sources on a large scale.  It is a step that Japan is now considering 20% renewable energy by 2020. We need both defense and offense for humanity’s game of life. The points from Arnold Gunderson of Fairewinds in this presentation; “The Implications of the Fukushima Accident on the World’s Operating Reactors” brings home some considerations about the nuclear power.

More Radioactive Water into the Ocean:

The levels of radiation from Fukushima now:

Japan’s Fall: TEPCO:

TEPCO’s recent press releases:

Fukushima PP for IAEA Nice, France:

The business of TEPCO:

The IAEA’s new appropriate sign for ionizing radiation, last week, and for present status check out IAEA’s Facebook page, (see the comments section for real time frustration):

Fairewinds videos to understand the nuclear situation, radiation and fallout:

New USA nuclear power plants delayed, prior to license

Japanese/Swiss move to renewable energy;

Take action on these potential accidents waiting to happen, “The Fatal 4”;

Action towards change- through education about the situation, is our goal.  About the “sign” of radiation, there is no sign– until it is too late.