People bitching about Radiation in Japan

[protege]

A lot of the paranoia stems from the only source of knowledge about a nuclear plant meltdown is Chernobyl which caused a radioactive cloud covering several thousand square kilometres in central Europe that is still having an effect there.

Might as well throw Three Mile Island into the mix as well. I was 3 years old when that happened in '79, and remember people talking about it. I've seen the articles...and from what I understand, the plant actually didn't release that much radiation. In other words, we're exposed to more radiation in a day...than the total released during the accident. Yet, it was blown totally out of proportion at the time...and that's one reason why nuclear power is still taboo in the industry. Never mind that it's proven to be extremely reliable and relatively clean.

Chernobyl was a bit different than TMI though. From what I've read, the accident happened during a test. At the time, the plant staff wanted to see how long the turbines would remain spinning if power went out. To do the test, many (if not all) of the safety features were disabled...causing a massive explosion and fire. Also, at the time, the Soviets chose to keep quiet about the accident--it was only after pressure from Europe that they released the details.

As for the Japanese accident, I'm not as familiar with the details. I do know of several people bitching and moaning...as in "why the hell did they put that plant near the ocean." Never mind that nuke plants need a huge amount of water for cooling...

[AccountingDrone]

As for the Japanese accident, I'm not as familiar with the details. I do know of several people bitching and moaning...as in "why the hell did they put that plant near the ocean." Never mind that nuke plants need a huge amount of water for cooling...

How the hell can you do *anything* in an island nation that *isn't* near the ocean?

[HYHYBT]

Never mind that nuke plants need a huge amount of water for cooling...

They do, but they don't use *salt* water for it except in a desperate emergency.

[SongsOfDragons]

Also I think Chernobyl used graphite for cooling rather than water, IIRC?

[lordlundar]

Also I think Chernobyl used graphite for cooling rather than water, IIRC?

Yes, which is why the radiation cloud spread so far. The water cooling that the Japan reactor used ensured that radiation was not airborne.

As for what happened, the reactor was conducting normal operations when the earthquake hit causing the reactor core to rupture. People are screaming about how unsafe it was despite the fact that Japan has regulations to architects that require buildings of all sorts to be extremely earthquake and tsunami resistant. The earthquake and tsunami in question were of a magnitude that was so rare it was not considered a factor.

No one was at fault for the rupture as it was a natural disaster but people can't accept that and need someone to blame.