Japan's controversial release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has now surpassed 130,000 tonnes since operations began in August 2023, sparking renewed environmental debates as 2025 draws to a close.
What's New: The 17th discharge round concluded this week, releasing 7,833 tonnes temporarily halted by a December 8 earthquake off Aomori Prefecture. TEPCO reports this batch contained 2.4 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium – equivalent to filling 3 Olympic pools with 'treated' water. 💧
Global Reactions: Neighboring countries including South Korea and China continue raising safety concerns, while Pacific Island nations compare it to 'playing chess with ocean ecosystems.' Environmental groups demand more transparent radiation monitoring data.
2025 Roadmap: TEPCO plans 7 more releases from April 2025, aiming to discharge 54,600 tonnes through March 2026 – enough to fill Tokyo Dome's baseball field waist-high. Critics argue this 'out of sight, out of mind' approach risks setting dangerous precedents for nuclear waste management. ⚛️
Reference(s):
Fukushima nuclear-tainted wastewater discharge tops 130,000 tonnes
cgtn.com
