Radiation Food in Food & Soil Near Japanese Reactors. Is it Safe?

The big news today from Japan is that radioactive Stronium has been found in food and soil samples just outside of the 30 kilometer (18 mile) exclusion zone near the Fukushima nuclear reactors.


So the question is: Since radiation has been found in food, how dangerous is that to us? Is it safe?

Yahoo Japan

放射性ストロンチウムを検出＝原発30キロ外、福島6市町村―文科省

時事通信 4月13日(水)0時44分配信

　福島第1原発の事故で、文部科学省は12日、福島県でサンプル調査をした結果、土壌と植物から放射性ストロンチウム89と90が検出されたと発表した。同省によると、事故をめぐりストロンチウムが検出されたのは初。
同省は3月16～17日、第1原発の30キロ圏からやや外にある福島県浪江町の2カ所と飯舘村の1カ所で採取した土壌を分析。1キロ当たりストロンチウム89が最大260ベクレル、同90が最大32ベクレルだった。
大玉村、本宮市、小野町、西郷村で19日に採取された植物も分析。1キロ当たりストロンチウム89が最大61ベクレル、同90が最大5．9ベクレルだった。サンプルの植物は食用野菜ではないという。
ストロンチウムは、カルシウムと似た性質を持ち、人体に入ると骨に沈着し、骨髄腫や造血器に障害を引き起こす恐れがある。ストロンチウム90は半減期が約29年と長く、過去の核実験の際に飛散し問題となった。同89は半減期が約50日。

Translation:


Two types of radioactive strontium have been detected in soil tests just outside of the 30 kilometer (18 mile) nuclear exclusion zone near the crippled reactors in Fukushima.


On Monday, Japan's Ministry of Education announced the results of sample surveys on soil and plants in Fukushima Prefecture, saying that Stronium-89 and Stronium-90 have been detected in the samples taken. 


Samples were taken for analysis between March 16th to 17th. One set of samples were collected from Iidate in Namie-Cho in Fukushima Prefecture, just outside of the 30-kilometer exclusion zone. Those samples showed Strontium-89 up to 260 becquerels per kilogram, and Stronium-90 was detected at 32 becquerels.

Samples of 19 plants were also taken from Ootama village, Ono-machi, and Saigo village. In those samples, Strontium-89 was detected up to 61 becquerels per kilogram, and Strontium-90 was detected up to 5.9 becquerels. 


Strontium has properties similar to human bone tissue and when deposited into the body in large amounts, can cause myeloma and hematopoietic failure. Strontium-90 has a long half-life of about 29 years, which was discovered during nuclear testing and Strontium-89 has a half-life of about 50 days.


Extra information: 


The considered safe level for radiation is 300 becquerels per kilogram. For a comparison, see this chart:

View chart online here


Becquerels—a measure that represents one radioactive event per second—per kilogram.

Reality - Becquerel (Bq)

The unit of measurement for radioactivity. An activity of one Bq means that one decay takes place per second. [Nothing to do with kg.]

　

What to do? Well, I suggest not buying fruits and vegetables from the affected areas (which you can't do as they've been blocked for sale). But, either way, washing your vegetables well is always a good idea (pesticides are dangerous too!)

Meanwhile, the panic continues while the world over millions suffer and many die from asthma and other problems caused by filthy fossil fuels.

The greatest threats from nuclear power is panic, and our society reduced to poverty by running out of cheap, clean, safe power.


From this recent news and Fukushima being raised to a level seven disaster, I've been getting lots of mail from the Peanut Gallery that claims this new information justifies the gaijin panic and flight out of Japan. Sorry, I couldn't disagree more.

For those Flyjin foreigners and those Japanese in Tokyo who panicked and fled who think that this now justifies your running away in a panic from Tokyo mid-March, think again. 

For one, if this being used to justify your running away, then with this evidence, why are you back in Tokyo? If new information somehow justifies your past actions, then it stands to reason that - if you didn't panic as you claim - this new information will see you at Narita airport first thing tomorrow am. 


A deeper examination shows, if anything, this new evidence proves you panicked and ran away - without any rational reason to do so at all - if, upon examination of this new information, that you decide to stay here anyway. 


For you foreigners and Tokyoite Japanese who ran away - and are still outside of Japan - then, please, stay there. Stay away. Don't come back to Japan. Fukushima is now a level seven. The food is radioactive. It's too dangerous! We're doomed!

I've said it over and over; things are bad for the poor folks who suffered from the earthquake and the tsunami then the nuclear accident. But those people are in Tohoku region (northern Japan). If you were living there in the affected areas, then no one will criticize you for leaving there.

But you foreigners and Japanese in Tokyo (230 kilometers away - about 150 miles from Fukushima crippled nuclear reactors) and those in Nagoya (680 kilometers - about 400 miles from Fukushima) - who panicked and ran away and left their neighbors, co-workers and friends hanging, you deserve all the criticism you get.

Only a person without any pride, self-respect or dignity would run away and leave their friends, neighbors, co-workers, and those people's children alone in their time of need. 

What goes around, comes around. Karma can be a bitch. When you are in trouble, how will you feel if you get abandoned by people who fly into an irrational panic? 

Want to compare this problem with McDonald's? Good idea!

For those of you who stayed here. Thanks... Don't forget to wash your fruits and vegetables well... And take my little tip: Besides washing, peeling is the best way to remove pesticides, poisons and radiation from food. Try it. I always do. 


Oh, and if you want to eat healthy... Stop the fast food.