Japan will begin its fifth discharge of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean on April 19, operator TEPCO confirmed Wednesday. The controversial move – part of a decades-long plan – is set to last through May 7. 💧
While TEPCO insists the water is filtered to remove most radioactive elements (except tritium, diluted to \"safe\" levels), the releases continue to face fierce opposition from local fishermen and neighboring countries. 🐟🌏 Earlier discharges since August 2023 have already poured over 31,000 tons of treated water into the sea.
The plan, approved by the IAEA, is unlikely to win any popularity contests: South Korean activists recently staged protests with giant inflatable \"nuclear wastewater\" barrels, while China maintains a ban on Japanese seafood imports. 🚫🍣
As spring tides swirl across the Pacific, all eyes remain on marine radiation monitoring data. 🔬 Will science calm the waves of doubt? Stay tuned for updates.
