67 exposed to radiation in Fukushima prefecture following radioactive leaks

[jpak]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-03/19/c_13787416.htm

TOKYO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Up to 67 people have been exposed to radiation in Fukushima prefecture following leaks of radioactive substances from the troubled nuclear plant, local media reported Saturday.

The prefectural authorities detected radioactive substances on their shoes and clothes after having conducted radiation checks on 42,440 people at 13 locations in the prefecture, said the reports.

But the dose of radiation was not high enough to pose any threat to their health, they said.

At a press conference Saturday, the Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency said the residents living with 20-30 km radius of Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant do not have to stay indoors when they need to go shopping.

<more>

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. The other day listening to NPR we had a reporter who got

10K CPM on her shoes, and was told no problem. That is not a number to quite scoff at...

If they are found to not being transparent that will be a problem. For starters the politics will get interesting.

[jpak]

2. A Hot Foot

If any university researcher walked out of a rad lab with 10K CMP on his or he shoes - they would bring the wrath of the NRC down on the whole place.

That's nuts

yup

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. I was about to scream at the radio

[FBaggins]

4. That's actually standard protocol here in the states.

IF there's a radiological event going on, CPM up to 10,000 (I think they take the shoes off) is supposed to get you sent home to take a shower (assuming your home isn't the source of the contamination of course).

Between 10,000 and 100,000 CPM they give you the shower (in one of those mobile units) - but there's still no presumed health risk. It's only when you get above 100,000 CPM that they refer you out to be checked by a physician.

It's in all the radiological first-responder guidelines. I'm sure you can find it pretty easily.

On edit - See page 36 - http://www.crcpd.org/RDD_Handbook/RDD-Handbook-ForWeb.pdf

[TheMadMonk]

5. Difference is context. Contamination from a lab is indicative...

...of serious procedural breaches within that lab. It points back at a problem which people might not be aware of.

In case you haven't noticed, people are fully aware they have a problem in Japan. And taking these measurements is a part of dealing with it.

Telling the wearer of a pair of contaminated shoes that they have nothing to worry about personally is NOT the same as telling them that everything is hunky dory.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. No problem is don't worry

especially with people who do not realize they are wearing a pretty hot shoe.

I guess you would have had to listen to the story.

:hi: at least we can disagree on our assessment I guess.

[TheMadMonk]

7. Well the news reports I saw on the screening and decontamination...

...procedures showed the screeners taking contaminated items away for safe disposal.

If the contamination was on the sole of her shoe, then the thickness of that sole (or even a decent upper) is more than sufficient to stop all alpha and most beta particles. Gamma radiation would indeed penetrate and her foot will have been subject to the equivalent of up to a few x-rays depending on how long the contamination had been there. Hence her being told she had nothing to worry about.

The whole point of this screening procedure, which FOUND her "pretty hot shoe" BTW, is finding those "pretty hot shoes" BEFORE they can create "pretty hot carpet" for baby to crawl over. So why do you insist on calling a successful screening effort a failure?

67 people out of just how many tens of thousands leaving the hot zone have tested positive for contamination? That in itself is a pretty good indicator of just how little actual "fallout" there is in the contaminated area. Its there, but it's miniscule, and will mostly be washed away in the first decent rain.

It is cause for concern. It is not cause for alarm.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. I used the word concern, not alarm

I also know why they said no problem, and why they washed shoes, not took them away for disposal...

[TheMadMonk]

9. I saw items bagged for disposal. I guess if it's washable they give...

...you a choice.

Actually you used neither concern or alarm.

You simply appear think it's somehow wrong to tell someone who has nothing to worry about, that there is in fact nothing to worry about. Apparently if "the nookyoular" is involved one must worry even if one has no idea what the fuck it is they are worrying about.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Ok, have a good day...

We all do know 10k CPM is a normal count...

[jpak]

11. Shoe contamination means that radioactive particles are now everywhere in that environment

They will be in the in the air and can be inhaled.

The will settle on vegetables and the grass/hay fed to farm critters.

I think it's time for alarm...

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. I agree

the mexican government\ per my mother\ already issued a general health warning for any Japanese food goods... and will close borders.

[FBaggins]

13. Everywhere?

How do you have radiation everywhere and yet only find notable amounts on a few dozen shoes out of thousands and thousands checked?

Isn't that at odd definition of "everywhere".