Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant has commenced the release of a second batch of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea on Thursday, following the successful conclusion of the initial round of discharges.
The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, reported that workers initiated a pump to blend the treated water with substantial quantities of seawater, gradually introducing this mixture into the ocean through an underground tunnel.
The initial wastewater release from the plant started on August 24 and concluded on September 11. In this subsequent discharge, the plant intends to release an additional 7,800 metric tons of treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean over a span of 17 days. These wastewater discharges, anticipated to continue for several decades, have encountered strong opposition from fishing groups and neighbouring countries, particularly South Korea, where numerous protests have been held. China, in response, imposed a blanket ban on all imports of Japanese seafood, severely impacting Japanese seafood exporters. In response to the challenges posed by this ban, Japan’s government has established a relief fund aimed at identifying new markets and mitigating the adverse effects of China’s embargo.
