ISTANBUL – A water expert has warned that Japan’s dumping of Fukushima nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean could have lethal consequences.
Japan’s plan to discharge the contaminated wastewater into the sea had triggered global concerns, said Murat Kapikiran, head of the Istanbul Chamber of Agricultural Engineers.
“The world knows that the (radioactive) cesium isotope in the contaminated water has a half-life of 30 years. This isotope is dangerous and lethal in case of contact with living creatures,” Kapikiran told Xinhua in an online interview.
“It is even known that one milligram of it is dangerous enough to destroy a big building,” he said.
“Therefore, the discharge of this wastewater could lead to an extensive global disaster.”
He believes the contaminated water could spread worldwide with strong ocean currents, impacting human health.
“The nuclear material that will be accumulated in the leaves will definitely harm human health, or the superstructures in the food chain and will have a cancer-causing effect.”
He noted that the pollution will substantially impact fish nests along the coasts, especially in the Pacific, which will be lethal.
“It can be said clearly that it will significantly affect fish eggs and cause mutations in fish and aquatic plant populations,” he said, noting that it could be fatal to those who consume such products.
Kapikiran urged Japan to act on scientific data and use other methods to eliminate the contaminated water without harming the environment.
He voiced hope for a method that prioritises global benefits, saying that it would be better to clean the cesium and other radioactive isotopes and elements from the water and then released it into nature.
According to media reports, Japan is considering discharging the Fukushima water into the sea in late August or early September. – Bernama
