Posted on 04/12/2011 7:00:30 AM PDT by Scythian
(NaturalNews) The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues to release new data showing that various milk and water supply samples from across the US are testing increasingly high for radioactive elements such as Iodine-131, Cesium-134, and Cesium-137, all of which are being emitted from the ongoing Fukushima Daiichia nuclear fallout. As of April 10, 2011, 23 US water supplies have tested positive for radioactive Iodine-131 (http://opendata.socrata.com/w/4ig7-...), and worst of all, milk samples from at least three US locations have tested positive for Iodine-131 at levels exceeding EPA maximum containment levels (MCL) (http://opendata.socrata.com/w/pkfj-...).
As far as the water supplies are concerned, it is important to note that the EPA is only testing for radioactive Iodine-131. There are no readings or data available for cesium, uranium, or plutonium -- all of which are being continuously emitted from Fukushima, as far as we know -- even though these elements are all much more deadly than Iodine-131. Even so, the following water supplies have thus far tested positive for Iodine-131, with the dates they were collected in parenthesis to the right:
Los Angeles, Calif. - 0.39 pCi/l (4/4/11)
Philadelphia (Baxter), Penn. - 0.46 pCi/l (4/4/11)
Philadelphia (Belmont), Penn. - 1.3 pCi/l (4/4/11)
Philadelphia (Queen), Penn. - 2.2 pCi/l (4/4/11)
Muscle Shoals, Al. - 0.16 pCi/l (3/31/11)
Niagara Falls, NY - 0.14 pCi/l (3/31/11)
Denver, Colo. - 0.17 pCi/l (3/31/11)
Detroit, Mich. - 0.28 pCi/l (3/31/11)
East Liverpool, Oh. - 0.42 pCi/l (3/30/11)
Trenton, NJ - 0.38 pCi/l (3/29/11)
Painesville, Oh. - 0.43 pCi/l (3/29/11)
Columbia, Penn. - 0.20 pCi/l (3/29/11)
Oak Ridge (4442), Tenn. - 0.28 pCi/l (3/29/11)
Oak Ridge (772), Tenn. - 0.20 pCi/l (3/29/11)
Oak Ridge (360), Tenn. - 0.18 pCi/l (3/29/11)
Helena, Mont. - 0.18 pCi/l (3/28/11)
Waretown, NJ - 0.38 pCi/l (3/28/11)
Cincinnati, Oh. - 0.13 pCi/l (3/28/11)
Pittsburgh, Penn. - 0.36 pCi/l (3/28/11)
Oak Ridge (371), Tenn. - 0.63 pCi/l (3/28/11)
Chattanooga, Tenn. - 1.6 pCi/l (3/28/11)
Boise, Id. - 0.2 pCi/l (3/28/11)
Richland, Wash. - 0.23 pCi/l (3/28/11)
Again, these figures do not include the other radioactive elements being spread by Fukushima, so there is no telling what the actual cumulative radiation levels really were in these samples. The figures were also taken two weeks ago, and were only just recently reported. If current samples were taken at even more cities, and if the tests conducted included the many other radioactive elements besides Iodine-131, actual contamination levels would likely be frighteningly higher.
But in typical government fashion, the EPA still insists that everything is just fine, even though an increasing amount of US water supplies are turning up positive for even just the radioactive elements for which the agency is testing -- and these levels seem to be increasing as a direct result of the situation at the Fukushima plant, which continues to worsen with no end in sight (http://www.naturalnews.com/032035_F...).
Water may be the least of our problems, however. New EPA data just released on Sunday shows that at least three different milk samples -- all from different parts of the US -- have tested positive for radioactive Iodine-131 at levels that exceed the EPA maximum thresholds for safety, which is currently set at 3.0 pico Curies per Liter (pCi/l).
In Phoenix, Ariz., a milk sample taken on March 28, 2011, tested at 3.2 pCi/l. In Little Rock, Ark., a milk sample taken on March 30, 2011, tested at 8.9 pCi/l, which is almost three times the EPA limit. And in Hilo, Hawaii, a milk sample collected on April 4, 2011, tested at 18 pCi/l, a level six times the EPA maximum safety threshold. The same Hawaii sample also tested at 19 pCi/l for Cesium-137, which has a half life of 30 years (http://www.naturalnews.com/031992_r...), and a shocking 24 pCi/l for Cesium-134, which has a half life of just over two years (http://opendata.socrata.com/w/pkfj-...).
Why is this milk contamination significant? Milk, of course, typically represents the overall condition of the food chain because cows consume grass and are exposed to the same elements as food crops and water supplies. In other words, when cows' milk starts testing positive for high levels of radioactive elements, this is indicative of radioactive contamination of the entire food supply.
And even with the milk samples, the EPA insanely says not to worry as its 3.0 pCi/l threshold is allegedly only for long-term exposure. But the sad fact of the matter is that the Fukushima situation is already a long-term situation. Not only does it appear that the Fukushima reactor cores are continuing to melt, since conditions at the plant have not gotten any better since the earthquake and tsunami, but many of the radioactive elements that have already been released in previous weeks have long half lives, and have spread halfway around the world.
The other problem with the EPA's empty reassurances that radiation levels are too low to have a negative impact on humans is the fact that the agency does not even have an accurate grasp on the actual aggregate exposure to radiation from all sources (water, food, air, rain, etc.). When you combine perpetual exposure from multiple sources with just the figures that have already been released, there is a very real threat of serious harm as a result of exposure.
The EPA and other government agencies are constantly comparing Fukushima radiation to background and airplane radiation in an attempt to minimize the severity of exposure, even though these are two completely different kinds of radiation exposure.
So is this something to be alarmed about?
Physicians for Social Responsibility are hardly experts in this matter. They are a die-hard liberal activist group.
Best group to go to used to be the Health Physics Society, but I’m not sure of their reliability lately (have been out of the field for some time).
No, "they are NOT correct". We need some radiation. Our main source of radiation is the sun, and we need the radiation from it to stay warm and grow crops. When exposed directly to sunlight our bodies create Vitamin D and some other needed chemical compounds.
X-Rays are used to precisely locate and plan the treatment of dental cavities, to identify trauma, cancers, and other medical problems. We minimize the dosage, but without the x-rays death rates would be higher. So too with other medical imaging using *radiation*, including injested isotopes.
Harsh radiation is used to treat cancers.
- - - - -
This article is 99% fear mongering.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,752704,00.html
TEPCO has a history of safety issues.
“The tone of Katsumata’s speech was clear: The numerous past incidents were in no way isolated mistakes made by individual employees. Instead, they were the result of a corporate culture at Tepco that had allowed hair-raising breaches in safety to occur.”
The guy heading up the current disaster, Katsumata, had to resign but now is back because the CEO went MIA.
Just a few weeks before this disaster TEPCO had missing 33 safety reports. There was an issue about a diesel generator.
It is corrupt organization and those plants were not safe.
How many times do CEO’s have to resign before they straighten it out.
Now, the world is going to pay for their corrupt climate.
Most of the readings shown in that list are on the order of 10% of EPA allowable maximums. The article fails to note this, and also fails to note what background levels are normal (if any). To their credit, they do list the information, but the presentation is pure alarmist. It’s a serious situation, and real quantitative monitoring and rational assessment is needed. Unfortunately, much of what gets posted here lacks the latter.
We are flying blind. THAT IS NOT GOOD.
The issue is that Japanese culture is very against publicly admitting anything. So much so, they will intentionally hide things in order to save face.
There is corruption in EVERYTHING humans do. It becomes a question of level and seriousness. Tepco operates actual working power plants, they simply can not do that at all without a level of seriousness and responsibility I suspect you are unfamiliar with in your daily life and experiences.
It’s not to their credit that they listed one reading from each of a few sites. As you also said, they left off anything that makes those readings understandable.
It’s like saying a baseball score is 7-3 without noting which teams are playing or who is winning. It is almost pure fear-mongering.
It’s a Ralph Nader group.
1,500,000 pCi/L in the worst case. I should say that was just downwind from the reactor and the readings we are seeing here are across the ocean. And from what I read just yesterday, the total emissions of I-131 are now about 1/5 or 1/4 of Chernobyl (close enough to be equivalent).
looking up my old data for releases into the air and water, the maximum concentration allowable by the NRC for release to an unrestricted area of soluable I-131 in water was 0.0000003 microciries/ml (300 pCi/l).
btw, one more thing to consider
http://classic.cnbc.com/id/42550204
Yes, I am a cynic. I have no doubt in my mind that the slow release of information is IN PART to give time to people to get out of positions to save their butts.
More bad news coming from Japan. They just can’t tell you, yet.
People need to deal with their carry trade postions:
“Heightened risk aversion prompted investors to unwind some carry trade positions using the Japanese yen as a low interest rate currency to buy higher yielding assets. “Our positioning data shows some carry trades are pretty extended,” said Chris Walker, currency strategist at UBS. The yen firmed to a 1-1/2 week high versus the dollar but gains are likely to be curbed by the Bank of Japan’s perceived determination to keep monetary policy loose to aid economic recovery. Still, the steadier yen offered the dollar some respite, allowing the greenback to stay above Friday’s 16-month lows against a basket of major currencies.”
btw, the world’s largest Bond fund sold off US treasuries after the earthquake. Have they bought back in, yet?
Yes, and it was worth repeating 3 times
NO,he didn’t kill himself.
Neither did any of the CEOS that had to resign.
The newer ones are politically driven or generated to justify regulatory programs (if you are already safe, there is no more work to do).
Yep. And its not journalism, its more Mike Adams nonsense.
What???????????
Are you saying all of these scandals over safety are acceptable???
Not just once..not just twice...not just three times...
Btw, here is an interesting article
http://www.nodeju.com/tepco-violates-workers-rights/8338/
Usually such a drawing of conclusions based on the misreading of facts is seen in the RF.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.