Meanwhile, Back at the Nuclear Plant in Japan....

[3113]

The nuclear fuel in three of the reactors at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant has melted through the base of the pressure vessels and is pooling in the outer containment vessels, according to a report by the Japanese government.

The findings of the report, which has been given to the International Atomic Energy Agency, were revealed by the Yomiuri newspaper, which described a "melt-through" as being "far worse than a core meltdown" and "the worst possibility in a nuclear accident."

Full story here.

http://www.runemasterstudios.com/graemlins/images/faint2.gif This tops Chernobyl, doesn't it?

 

[JackLuis]

Odd fish occur.

http://gamesnet.vo.llnwd.net/o1/gamestar/objects/370246_main.jpg​

 

[stephen55]

This tops Chernobyl, doesn't it?

No, and with any luck, it won't top Chernobyl.

During that catastrophe a series of explosions completely ruptured the reactor vessel and exposed the reactor core to the open air. Because the moderator at Chernobyl was made of graphite (carbon), it ignited when it came into contact with the air. The resulting fire sent highly radioactive smoke over the surrounding area.

http://atomictoasters.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/chernobyl.jpg

 

[Verdad]

It can’t top Chernobyl in so far as the fuel in the Chernobyl accident got ejected directly in the atmosphere by an explosion.

In the long run, I guess it’s hard to compare, but the clean up is certainly going to be both long and costly and the full range of effects remains to be seen. But we knew that a couple of days into the crisis. Notwithstanding some ridiculously cheery attempts at pretending all ‘ended well’, an ending is years in the future.

Maybe the most interesting thing is that we can’t quite find it in ourselves to feel as outraged as we were by Chernobyl. I’m not sure how to explain it.

Obviously there’s a political factor: with Chernobyl, the scandal would have been milked for all it was worth. A handier demonstration of the communist inefficiency and of the threat the ‘rogue’ USSR posed to the world could have hardly been imagined, and in retrospect, the accident did prove to be the beginning of the end for the Soviets. Fukushima obviously happens against an entirely different backdrop.

But there’s more to it than a different standard, too. Maybe we’ve become more desensitized, like, meh, we’ve seen that one before and the special effects were better, and maybe we can muster only so much outrage over anything because we feel all around more powerless as participants in decisions.

 

[mynameisben]

It could yet top Chernobyl. There's like 30 feet of contaminated water in those reactor plant basements. At least, that's what they're admitting to so far. Tepco has proven beyond all doubt that they are world-class bunglers and liars, and they are still in charge of operations. It may not top Chernobyl as a global catastrophe, but Fukushima has the potential to do far more damage to the Nation of Japan than Chernobyl ever did to the former Soviet Union.

It's a slowly unfolding, tragic nightmare for the Japanese.

 

[JackLuis]

Japanese watchdog demands radiation inquiry
Nuclear watchdog wants probe into how two workers were exposed to twice legal level of radiation at tsunami-hit plant.

http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2011/6/10/201161020234536580_20.jpg

Japan's nuclear safety officials have reprimanded the operator of the country's crippled Fukushima nuclear and demanded an investigation into how two workers were exposed to radiation more than twice the legally
permitted level of radiation.

The government also ordered the Tokyo Electric Power Company [TEPCO] to reduce workers' risks of heat-related illnesses as concerns grow about the health risks faced by the people toiling to get the the plant under control.

The two men with high radiation exposures worked at a central control room for two reactors when a tsunami struck on March 11 and the days that followed.

With only 80,000 people displaced, TEPCO can take their time.

 

[jomar]

...

Maybe the most interesting thing is that we can’t quite find it in ourselves to feel as outraged as we were by Chernobyl. I’m not sure how to explain it.

...

Regardless of any political background, Chernobyl involved the typical cascade of events involving a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel...the engineers brought the house down upon themselves, and Europe.

Fukushima, on the other hand, occurred as a result of the devastating earthquake/tsunami, a natural disaster. So I think that accounts for the lack of outrage in contrast to Chernobyl.

Though it does baffle me why they didn't factor such a thing in...but perhaps a similar issue as the corps of engineers not shoring up the levees in NOLA, just in case.

 

[Verdad]

Regardless of any political background, Chernobyl involved the typical cascade of events involving a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel...the engineers brought the house down upon themselves, and Europe.

Fukushima, on the other hand, occurred as a result of the devastating earthquake/tsunami, a natural disaster. So I think that accounts for the lack of outrage in contrast to Chernobyl.

Though it does baffle me why they didn't factor such a thing in...but perhaps a similar issue as the corps of engineers not shoring up the levees in NOLA, just in case.

True, though it should be noted it’s not all roses. TEPCO has a history of data falsification. The company also seems to have been warned about safety risks on more than occasion and ignored the warnings. If sources cited in wikipedia are to be trusted, “In 2008, the IAEA warned Japan that the Fukushima was built using outdated safety guidelines, and could be "serious problem" during a large earthquake.”

Also, “In 1990 the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ranked the failure of the emergency electricity generators and subsequent failure of the cooling systems of plants in seismically very active regions one of the most likely risks. The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) cited this report in 2004. According to Jun Tateno, a former NISA scientist, TEPCO did not react to these warnings and did not respond with any measures.”

Which is not to say I disagree with you. There are real differences between this accident and Chernobyl and they’re not trivial. I’m not trying to fan outrage and paranoia or something like that. Even if TEPCO were perfectly immaculate, I’d think our reaction interesting. I’m just fascinated with public opinion, the torpor and denial of late capitalism, and such.

 

[TE999]

IMO the difference in public reactions to the two nuclear incidents relates more to the circumstances that precipitated them. Chernobyl was abrupt and also concealed by the Soviets until the radioactive cloud spreading over Europe was impossible to ignore. The Japanese meltdown was a result of a natural disaster and a national tragedy. Additionally, it was immediately acknowledged, if initially downplayed as attempts were made to regain control of the situation.

A plethora of disaster movies may also have removed the shock value of such occurances.

 

[kimerspon]

had to cancel my vacation plans to japan because of this stupid disaster

 

[sr71plt]

had to cancel my vacation plans to japan because of this stupid disaster

Gotta say, "Oh you poor baby. Those Japanese buried under those tsunami-collapsed buildings and sitting under that nuclear cloud were soooo disrespectful to your vacation plans."

 

[mynameisben]

had to cancel my vacation plans to japan because of this stupid disaster

That's the Japanese for you, always thinking only of themselves.