[ RadSafe ] Radioactive contamination of the ocean

[shima]

Hi,

The trouble with your idea is that you seem to be assuming quasi 
instantaneous even dispersion throughout the total volume of the worlds 
oceans.

That's as realistic as saying a tsunami isn't a problem because it's 
energy will soon be dispersed into the ocean.

this will not do much to reassure the japanese population , largely 
dependant on fish and seaweed.

But at least is should stop them needing to ram chinese fishing trawlers.


  On 03/29/11 00:01, Jerry Cohen wrote:
> In todays news, we see alarming stories of radioactive contamination found in
> ocean waters near Japan. In a previous post, I cited the tendency of people to
> equate detectability with hazard, and our capability to readily detect
> radioactivity in miniscule concentrations.
> The capacity of the ocean to dilute any contaminant is almost infinite. It can
> readily be calculated that any amount of radioactivity released to the ocean
> will be diluted to innocuous levels in a relatively short time. All of the
> nuclear waste conceivably produced by the most ambitious nuclear power
> production in the world would pose no significant health hazard if dispersed in
> the world's oceans  compared to the natural radioactivity (U, Ra, K-40, etc)
> that nature has already placed in the ocean. Actually, as I have previously
> discussed on radsafe, oceanic disposal is our best bet for disposal of
> all radioactive waste.
> Unfortunately, politics and hysteria will always trump science.
>
> Jerry Cohen
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