Japanese Authorities at Fukushima Set to Release 1.23 MILLION Tons of Untreated Radioactive Waste Water into the Pacific Ocean.

[mrrsm]

It has been a decade or so since I picked up a Working 1950s Era Civil Defense Era, Honest to Goodness "Yellow Geiger Counter" for $40.00 via eBay trying to win a bet about Whether or not Bananas are actually Radioactive. Long Story short... They ARE… (See the Link about “BED” or “Banana Equivalent Dose”). The Bat and Bird Guano constantly replenishing the soil in the Tropical Countries where Bananas grow is LOADED with Potassium from Tropical and Sea Birds Droppings which is indeed, mildly Radioactive, Invariably, the Plants absorb the Mineral during its growth cycle and thus the Potassium concentrates the most within the Fruit.

What is Banana Equivalent Dose - BED - Definition

Banana equivalent dose, BED, is an informal dose quantity of ionizing radiation exposure. Banana equivalent dose is intended as a general educational example to compare a dose of radioactivity to the dose one is exposed to by eating one average-sized banana. Radiation Dosimetry

www.radiation-dosimetry.org

What I noticed back then with “The Old Geiger Counter” was that as the Machine randomly Clicked off through the Headphones, the very sensitive Gauge Needle would Bounce as the Radioactive Particles passed through the Geiger Vacuum Tube hidden inside of the wand and registered their passing presence.

I also discovered that there is always Environmental Background Radiation all around us. Some of it could be coming from some Long Dead Star deep in Outer Space, or coming up through the carpet covered concrete floor as Radon Gas released from deep in the Earth from Natural Radioactive Decay of any number of Naturally Ionizing Elements within our world...or from The Universe. ...or perhaps from something very much closer to us.

In any case, the small amount of it registering on the Device was nothing for us ever to get excited about. But Post-Fukushima and with the near presence of the damaged --== Never to be Run--EVER ==-- Crystal River Nuclear Power Planet being only a few hundred miles to the north of us… AND of course... Right after we watched the HBO "Chernobyl Series":

...My wife and I began to wonder if having "A More Modern Version of a Geiger Counter" would NOT be a Bad Idea. We also ruminated about getting a few more for our son, grand-kids and his wife and her family, all living up in North Florida. Our concerns were focused with the idea that the air streams coming off of the Gulf of Mexico regularly have prevailing winds drifting through the areas of Indian River and Crystal River locations. We agreed that having such Devices on hand might be a good idea..."Just In Case...". If you think that this was a Silly Idea... Ask anyone from Norway and Sweden if having one of these Devices would be a Very Good Idea after what happened to their countries within hours of the Chernobyl Disaster.

Anyhow... I did my homework back then and discovered that the Ionizing Radiation Detection Devices that were worth their salt would cost us around $300.00 a piece. So ... I rationalized that since I already had one that has worked for over 70 Years and was still going STRONG... I put it out of my mind. That is until this Week ...ever since the Site of the Fukushima 1-5 Reactor Melt Down Disaster is back in the News as the Japanese Authorities want to Dump 1.23 MILLION Tons of their Untreated Radioactive Nuclear Waste Water out into the Pacific Ocean:

Fukushima | The Independent

The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.

www.independent.co.uk

In response to this update, I renewed my interest in searching for a Decent Quality Radiation Detection Device and discovered that the Prices have come down substantially. So I decided to get this one due to its VERY Rich Set of Features and Options, Such as showing the presence of any Ionizing Radiation in CPM (Counts Per Minute), Micro-Seiverts Per Hour, or in Milli-Roentgens Per Hour, via a Flashing Light and Clearly Startling Audible *Ticks* per each Particle Count:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ROHGWIQ/?tag=gmtnation-20



If you are a GMTN Member from the areas reaching from Alaska, down through the Canadian Western Provinces and further down through the Pacific Coast of the United States ... all the way to the Yucatan Peninsula, think about getting one of these Ionizing Radiation Detection Devices.

Take it with you on your next walking excursions along the Pacific Ocean Beaches and open areas. You just never know what you might stumble upon ...and if God Forbid... Your device Lights Up like a Christmas Tree and Screams out at you... you'll want to back off and either avoid stepping in anything or picking up Things that are Dangerously Radioactive that might wind up drifting ashore. If this happens, it would be wise to call for your Local Fire Department to come out and deal with any such problem. They are TRAINED to deal with Hazardous Materials... and THAT includes anything that emanates Nuclear Radiation.

 

[mrrsm]

Heads Up, Pacific Northwest Dwellers... THIS Crap will be the Latest and the Largest amount intentionally getting dumped into the Pacific Ocean from the sites of the Fukushima Daiishi Plants #1-5 ...starting around 2022:

Just to Stress the SHEER SIZE of what these Numbers REALLY Mean:

1,230,000 Tons of Radioactively Contaminated Water Converts to...
2,460,000,000 Pounds of Radioactively Contaminated Water Converts to…
294,708,000 Gallons of Radioactively Contaminated Water

The Primary Radioactive Contaminants Released from the Fukushima Disaster:

Strontium 90
Cesium 135
Cesium 137
Plutonium
Iodine 131



Excerpt concerning Water Releases from the Fukushima Disaster Wiki:

Radiation effects from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Most of these Earlier Contaminated Water Releases Were Accidental...

On 21 April, TEPCO estimated that 520 tons of radioactive water leaked into the sea before leaks in a pit in unit2 were plugged, totaling 4.7 PBq of water release (calculated by simple sum, which is inconsistent with the IAEA methodology for mixed-nuclide releases[77]) (20,000 times facility's annual limit).[77][94] TEPCO's detailed estimates were 2.8 PBq of I-131, 0.94 PBq of Cs-134, 0.940 PBq of Cs-137.[77]

Another 300,000 tons of relatively less-radioactive water had already been reported to have leaked or been purposefully pumped into the sea to free room for storage of highly radioactively contaminated water.[95] TEPCO had attempted to contain contaminated water in the harbor near the plant by installing "curtains" to prevent outflow, but now believes this effort was unsuccessful.[95]

According to a report published in October 2011 by the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety, between 21 March and mid-July around 2.7×1016Bq of Caesium-137 (about 8.4 kg) entered the ocean, about 82 Percent having flowed into the sea before 8 April.[96] This emission of radioactivity into the sea represents the most important individual emission of artificial radioactivity into the sea ever observed. However, the Fukushima coast has some of the world's strongest currents and these transported the contaminated waters far into the Pacific Ocean, thus causing great dispersion of the radioactive elements.

The results of measurements of both the seawater and the coastal sediments led to the supposition that the consequences of the accident, in terms of radioactivity, would be minor for marine life as of autumn 2011 (weak concentration of radioactivity in the water and limited accumulation in sediments). On the other hand, significant pollution of sea water along the coast near the nuclear plant might persist, because of the continuing arrival of radioactive material transported towards the sea by surface water running over contaminated soil. Further, some coastal areas might have less-favorable dilution or sedimentation characteristics than those observed so far.

Finally, the possible presence of other persistent radioactive substances, such as Strontium-90 or Plutonium, has not been sufficiently studied. Recent[when?] measurements show persistent contamination of some marine species (mostly fish) caught along the coast of Fukushima district.

Organisms that filter water and fish at the top of the food chain are, over time, the most sensitive to Cesium pollution. It is thus justified to maintain surveillance of marine life that is fished in the coastal waters off Fukushima. Despite Cesium isotopic concentration in the waters off of Japan being 10 to 1000 times above concentration prior to the accident, radiation risks are below what is generally considered harmful to marine animals and human consumers.[97]

A year after the disaster, in April 2012, sea fish caught near the Fukushima power plant still contain as much radioactive Cesium 134 and Cesium 137 compared to fish caught in the days after the disaster.[98] At the end of October 2012 TEPCO admitted that it could not exclude radioactivity releases into the ocean, although the radiation levels were stabilized.

Undetected leaks into the ocean from the reactors, could not be ruled out, because their basements remain flooded with cooling water, and the 2,400-foot-long steel and concrete wall between the site's reactors and the ocean, that should reach 100 feet underground, was still under construction, and would not be finished before mid-2014. Around August 2012 two Greenling were caught close to the Fukushima shore, they contained more than 25 kBq per kilogram of Cesium, the Highest Cesium levels found in Fish since the disaster and 250 times the government's safety limit.[99]

In August 2013, a Nuclear Regulatory Authority task force reported that contaminated groundwater had breached an underground barrier, was rising toward the surface and exceeded legal limits of radioactive discharge.[100] The underground barrier was only effective in solidifying the ground at least 1.8 meters below the surface, and water began seeping through shallow areas of earth into the sea.[100]

 

[mrrsm]

I need to re-visit this Thread at least once more to confirm with anyone who intends to purchase the Modern Geiger Counter that it is much more than an "Electronic Curiosity"... the Damned Thing might just save your life... especially for those of use who live in Large Metropolitan Areas. I was looking on line for some 'Mildly Radioactive Sample Materials' that would at the very least, "Stress Test" the Device in a realistic way. I settled on getting a small sample of Thorium impregnated Plastic:

In Daylight, it looks Innocuous: In Darkness under UV Light ...DANGEROUS!



I was really surprised to observe that when in the proximity of the un-opened Mail Packet and while STILL inside of its thin lead shielding envelope... my Geiger measurement leaped from a Background Measurement of .008 mil-Seiverts Per Hour to over 224. This was accompanied by a rapid increase from just a few random *Clicks* every few seconds from the Audio Tone to a frenzied, louder pattern and this was followed by the ordinary Flash of the Green Light on the Unit... turning Solid Red. Then a Piercing Sound of an Alarm went off ...and I REALLY started to get concerned. So the Bottom Line is...THIS Little White Plastic Pocket Sized Geiger Counter REALLY Works !!!



If you've never seen what Radiation actually LOOKS like once the Nuclear Sub-Atomic Particles have passed through a "Cloud Chamber"... THIS is what even the SMALLEST Particle of a Radioactive Substance does when its Atoms randomly hurl out tiny chunks of its matter-converted-to-sub-atomic particles at a substantial portion of the Speed of Light.

They literally act like Razor-Blade Bullets. Notice the "Airplane Contrails" - like effect as these High Speed Sub-Atomic Bullets pass through the nearly frozen Gas and the Water Vapor droplets condense around them as they pass through that space. In this case... a Thermo-Electric Vacuum Chamber works just as well:

Once you've seen this as a live experiment like I did as a 10 Year Old Boy...You'll never forget it. Those "things" at the ends of each contrails can penetrate human skin and bone like butter and shred human DNA like confetti. You would NOT want to carry any such items around in your Pants Pocket... or accidentally swallow such tiny things. As you can see in the next image, this is issue is NOT an abstract problem in our present day, topsy-turvy world.



There is enough of THIS stuff around to make misery wherever anyone is unfortunate enough to come into near contact with it. Even though my Thorium-in-Plastic Test Strip was created in the 1950s... The Half Life of my "Little Sample" of Thorium is 14.5 Billion Years... meaning that it will remain dangerous for a time period TWICE the Age of the Known Universe!!! So this stuff will remain Radioactive and Dangerous for longer than Human Beings will survive as a species on this Planet.



While over on eBay I found a splendid RCA Geiger Counter that, unlike the Yellow Civil Defense versions ...was supremely well made back in the late 40's or early 1950s and looked almost Brand New. This thing was either taken out of a dormant Science Lab... or it came from a Uranium Prospector's Gear Cabinet. It was very reasonably priced so I offered the Seller one half of his asking price... and he accepted. The One to GET is the One I GOT ...as indicated with Red Arrow as the "Top of The Line" version on this Chart:



The reason I low balled him was because THIS things requires the use of two different kinds of Batteries: (A) 1.5 Volts DC and (B) 67.5 Volts DC and I'll need the help of @Alfa-Norway to find a way to convert (7) Standard 9 Volts DC Batteries into a Modified Battery Pack to get it to work:




If you want to see all 25 Images of this Amazing, Radiation Sensitive Device...Visit this Link to my "Flickr-Bucket":

https://www.flickr.com/photos/126111508@N07/albums/72157716753891731

 

[mrrsm]

The more I delve into this subject of having "The Dangers of Radiation in Proximity to Human Life"...I keep finding some surprising things are are SERIOUSLY RADIOACTIVE that some of our GMT Nation Members may have in their possession and still USE without suspecting that these things are REALLY Dangerous:

Take for Example... The Old Coleman Mantle Lamps that many Campers and Travelers may have stuffed inside of their Gear Cabinets and not even be aware that their Flame Netting Covers are CRAZY RADIOACTIVE.

These Contain Thorium and the only way to be certain as to whether yours are emitting LOADS of Scintillating, Ionizing Radiation... would be to test them with a Portable Geiger Counter. This is an excerpt from the Linked Article that should get your attention if you actually own any of these things:

"Unfortunately, that same element is radioactive. It is—to be more precise—an alpha-particle-emitting radioisotope which has a decay series of ten radio daughters (a "daughter" is an element that is an immediately produced by-product of the disintegration of a radioactive element). The first radio daughter is radium 228, a beta emitter which—in time—produces subsequent alpha-emitting radio daughters."

"The difference between alpha and beta particles is an important one for lantern users to understand. Both types of emissions are referred to as short-range radiation: Alpha particles are large and slow-moving, and can easily be stopped by such a barrier as a piece of paper or the glass chimney of a lantern . . . while beta particles are smaller and faster, and can penetrate body tissue. Either type can pose a health risk to the body if its emitters (in this particular case, thorium and radium) are inhaled or ingested . . . with the alpha particle being the more dangerous."

"Inside the body, you see, "alphas" often travel a distance equal only to a cell's diameter, concentrating their effect in one tiny location. Therefore, alpha energy can overwhelm a cell's chemistry, possibly targeting the stricken spot for a future cancer, or altering the cells genetic matter."

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Refer to the Medical Self-Care column "Are Cigarettes Radioactive?" (issue 74) for a discussion of the health effects of low-level radiation. To order back issues, turn to page 48 of this issue.]

Just realize that while the Glowing Thorium-Saturated Rayon Nets Burn Brightly (as well as when they are not turned on at all...) they constantly give off decaying Radioactive Gas like Radium and Radon that are very unhealthy for Children and Pregnant Women to inhale.

The effects of having the heavier Alpha Particles making their way inside of the lungs pf the Adult Human Beings nearby are just as dangerous. Perhaps this happens more often than not while Campers lean in closely towards that 'pleasant light' while reading, just before dropping off to sleep inside of their closed up tents.

For more Information...Check out the Linked Article here:

The Hidden Radioactive Danger of Mantle Lamps – Mother Earth News

The hidden radioactive danger of mantle lamps may pose a health threat, including mantle lamp consumer action, thorium and health risks and mantle lamp comparisons. Originally published as "The Hidden Danger of Mantle Lamps" November/December 1982 MOTHER EARTH NEWS.

www.motherearthnews.com

Observe what happens when THIS Rayon Net is Tested with a Geiger Counter... and Reading "HOT":



These Damned Antiques are STILL being sold over on eBay ...They're like a RASH On Sale all over there on Page after Page:

Camping & Hiking Lanterns for sale | eBay

Get the best deals on Camping & Hiking Lanterns when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands | affordable prices.

www.ebay.com

Next Stop...?

"Grandmother's Glass Cabinet...." You should be looking for "Pale Green Transparent Glassware" or any "Burnt Orange Fiesta Ware". They were 'doped up' during their Fire Kiln Glazing back in the late1940'w early 1950's with some fairly fierce Radioactive Orange Sand or Minerals that gave them their attractive colors.

Who Knew, Huh?

 

[Mektek]

For those who like the cellphone there is a gizmo that plugs into it and an app that gives it similar functionality to a standalone unit.

Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles & More | eBay

Buy & sell electronics, cars, clothes, collectibles & more on eBay, the world's online marketplace. Top brands, low prices & free shipping on many items.

rover.ebay.com

I remember as a kid I used to play with a coleman lantern and replaced the spare mantles. Yikes!

As if we didn't have enough hazards to worry about.....
It looks like things are going to get worse, regardless of the election outcome...

 

[mrrsm]

For the sake of Safety and Clarity of Information in this Thread on Radiation Exposure:

Take a look at THIS… It looks like something a Child might play with... BUT NEVER SHOULD!



This is photo I just took of two innocent looking Coleman Rayon Nets with those Bright Pinkish Purplish Stains. But that Image Does NOT belie just How Dangerously Radioactive They REALLY Are. The balance of the images shows the Dupont Radioactive Isotope Gray Plastic, Lead-Lined, Screw-On Top Container that I Purchased FIRST so that when these Nets arrived, I would be prepared to have a safe place where they could be isolated and contain the Power of the Thorium Radioactive Decaying Particles emanating from those “Pink-Purple Splotches” sufficient to make Organic Life ultimately Sick enough to DIE.



These are the same White, Synthetic Rayon Nets that reside inside of Coleman Kerosene Lamps that are unfortunately… STILL being sold as Used Items on eBay. Supposedly, Coleman has ceased making their Mantle Lamps with Thorium Doped Rayon Nets. But if you possess ANY of these Damned, Infernal Things, without checking them with a Portable Geiger Counter… How will you know for sure? Please read on for what happened when I Tested THESE First Hand:

Almost immediately my Geiger Counter went from a Background Radiation Level of 8-12 Counts per Minute to OVER 700 Counts Per Minute with a frightening jump in the measurement of the Milli-Roentgen per Hour measurement of 0.08 mR/h jumping higher to very scary .461 mR/h level.

The Red Light on the Geiger Counter became SOLID RED and the Audio Alarm started blaring continuously. When converted from Mill-Roentgens Per Hour to Mill-Seiverts Per Hour and you get THIS Number:

.461 mR/h = 4.61 mμSv/h

https://www.translatorscafe.com/uni...n/27-24/milliroentgen/hour-microsievert/hour/

Don’t take MY Word for it… Just compare the image on my Geiger Counter with the Radiation Danger Dosage Chart for Ionizing Radiation Levels yourself. The Red Arrow points to the last level I allowed myself to be exposed to in this situation before immediately placing the Two “Purple Doilies” right back inside of the Dupont Lead Container...and SEALED IT UP TIGHT.




It took a few minutes for the Radiation Count on the Geiger Counter readings to diminish because some of the “Daughters” that emerge as By-Products of Thorium Radiation decay into New Forms of Matter which are Radon and Radium in a Gaseous State that can be easily inhaled and represents a Genuine Health Threat.

I immediately turned on the Oven Air Blower and watched the Radiation Count drop rapidly down to ambient levels as those gaseous particles evacuated with the air from the space around me.

WARNING:

If you own any of these types of Coleman (or OTHER Brand Name) Mantle Lamps… Place them well away from your Living Quarters and avoid their use and proximity to anyone nearby; especially in confined spaces like rooms and tents where anyone will huddle around the Bright and breathe air contaminated with radioactive by-products from Thorium Natural Decay.

These lamps are capable of producing what looks like the energy from a 60 Watt Electric Light Bulb as the Kerosene Fuel burns through the Thorium Saturated Rayon Nets. Even the Carbonized Dirt inside left as the Burned Residue from the Rayon Nets inside of these Lamps REMAINS RADIOACTIVE… So Handle these Items with Great Care.

The responsible way to dispose of them would be to contact your Local Fire Department and ask for some assistance in removing what amounts to being a Hazardous Radiation Source. Be prepared to prove to them that this material is indeed, Radioactive with your OWN Geiger Counter as many smaller, Volunteer Fire Departments may NOT have any such equipment on hand.

In the mean time… You can use some Old, Lead Acid Batteries you probably have sitting around as the means to Isolate the Lamps and absorb any escaping Radiation. You can also certainly Cast a New Lead Container with a Scalloped Lid, too if you want to make your own Safe Lead Containers for Ionizing, Radioactive Materials.