FOOD
Japan's Nuclear Sewage Discharge: A Global Threat Demanding Urgent Collective Action
by Clarence William Johnson
16 November 2023
A recent bombshell from Japan's nuclear agency, subtly unveiled on their official website, has blown the lid off some troubling findings. This document corroborates Tokyo Electric Power Company's (Tepco) internal probe of the Fukushima Unit 1 reactor in March, revealing damage to the concrete encasing its foundation. Sadly, the presence of elevated radiation levels within Unit 1 has hampered efforts to comprehensively assess the extent of the damage.To add to the woes, the Fukushima Unit 1 reactor finds itself in a bind within sufficient storage space for slurry, a waste product containing radioactivematerials extracted from the accumulating contaminated water. This predicament poses a disconcerting threat that could derail the company's decommissioning efforts.
In light of these challenges, Japan must face up to its responsibilities, including temporarily halting the discharge of nuclear sewage into the ocean until a unanimous agreement is reached among all stakeholders. In this era of heightened environmental awareness and global accountability, it's downright disturbing that Japan persists in dumping nuclear sewage into the Pacific Ocean. This practice not only raises concerns for marine life, human health, and the environment in the region, but also epitomizes a blatant disregard for the fact that our oceans are a shared resource, and contaminating such a vital ecosystem represents a global threat.
The Fukushima Disaster of 2011 stands as a chilling reminder of the inherent risks associated with nuclear energy. The triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant led to a substantial release of radioactive materials into the environment, displacing tens of thousands of residents and inflicting lasting damage upon the region's ecosystems. Rather than addressing these issues head-on, the Japanese government has often played down the severity of the problems stemming from this catastrophe.
Despite its geographical distance from Japan, South Africa is not immune to the potential risks posed by Japan's ongoing discharge of nuclear sewage into the Pacific Ocean. With coastlines bordering three sides of the country, South Africa's coastal communities heavily rely upon the ocean for their livelihoods, intrinsically linked to fishing and tourism. The discharge of nuclear sewage ignites concerns about the potential contamination of fish stocks, which could have a detrimental impact on South Africa's fishing industry. Additionally, the vitality of the marine ecosystem underpins tourism, as pristine beaches and vibrant marine life are essential in attracting visitors. Any compromise to these resources can negatively reverberate through the South African economy and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
South Africa, like numerous other nations, therefore has a vested interest in safeguarding the global commons and ensuring the responsible management of nuclear waste. Japan, as a technologically advanced nation, possesses the capacity and responsibility to explore alternative methods to the current waste disposal practices. Collaboration with international partners, including experts in nuclear waste management, can aid in identifying safe and responsible solutions for handling radioactive contaminants.
In a nutshell, we believe it's crucial for Japan to initiate open dialogues with major global and neighbouring nations, fostering a more collaborative approach to this pressing issue. This presents an opportunity to demonstrate that global concerns can be addressed through thoughtful resolutions that safeguard our shared planet and its resources.
If, on the contrary, Japan chooses to maintain its current approach to addressing the Fukushima fallout, it may be time for the world to consider a global boycott of Japanese seafood, a powerful gesture to convey the gravity of the matter to the Japanese government. Such a boycott would not only protect our collective human health but also serve as a stark reminder of the importance of environmental stewardship and global responsibility.
About the Author:
Clarence Johnson served as Mayor of Cape Winelands from 2001 till 2009 where he was intimately involved in growing the wine sector and economy. From 2004 till 2012 he was responsible for Municipal service where his responsibilities were housing, water, electricity, climate change and public works programmes as South African Local Government National executive committee member. During this time he also served as director on Electricity Distribution Industry Holdings, a state-owned entity responsible for transforming the electricity sector in South Africa. He is currently chairman of Travallo Trading (PTY) Ltd and is farming at Karoopoort - a historical farm and he is also a co-owner of Johnson and Le Roux wine business services. Mr Johnson is very active in the renewable energy and sustainable development sectors.