Water pollution from Fukushima may continue to worsen for decades
Recent reports from Fukushima reveal that the radiation is not contained, and the problem is getting worse. The most recent inspection at the crippled nuclear plant showed that radiation continues to leak at such high levels that Japanese officials are considering evacuating Tokyo – permanently. If Tokyo is abandoned, it will be the largest human evacuation in history. Officials from Tepco, which operates the Fukushima plant, say it will take special equipment and several decades to decommission the plant. Because of this the US water will continue to be affected by water pollution from Fukushima radiation for decades to come.Water pollution from Fukushima - Maps
The west coast of Canada and Alaska bear the brunt of the nuclear fallout from Fukushima, but the rest of the US has detectable levels of fallout too. Radiation has been detected in California water and food supplies. Radioactive water pollution in California is a significant problem because California grows the majority of the US food supply.Wind trajectories show the path of the radiation
Trade winds that blow from east to west are responsible for distributing radiation from Fukushima across the US and Canada. Air moves across Fukushima, where it picks up radiation, and then moves across the Pacific. When the radioactive air mass reaches the US, it mixes with water in the atmosphere. The irradiated water then falls to earth in the form of rain. The chart shows that most of the radiation from Fukushima travels across Canada, but it dips into the northern US over the Midwest. The fallout across the Midwest contributes to water pollution in the Great Lakes, which supply water for much of the eastern half of the US.Home water filtration effective against radioactive water pollution
Water filters that are effective against radon gas are the best bet for filtering radioactive water pollution from Fukushima. Radon gas is also a radioactive contaminant that causes significant water pollution in the US and Canada Water filters effective against radioactive water pollution:- Ion Trapping – Most effective
- Reverse Osmosis
- Activated Carbon
- Ion Exchange – Least effective
This article should not be relied on to determine if radiation is in your water. Click here to receive a free evaluation of your local water quality report to see if you may be risk for radiation in your water supply.
Reference
"Fukushima reactor shows radiation levels much higher than thought." Guardian.