Difference between revisions of "Nuclear Disaster in Japan"

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An ''atomic power emergency'' has been declared by the Japanese government on Saturday March 12 while up to 300,000 residents (other sources talk about "over 200,000"<ref name="wiki_quake" />) had been evacuated in a zone of 20 kilometers around Fukushima I ''Daiichi'' and Fukushima II ''Daini''<ref name="Wikipedia_Fukushima1" /><ref name="bbc">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698 as at March 12, 2011</ref>. Several emergency power generators failed supplying the emergency cooling systems with electricity<ref name="contratom">http://www.contratom.de/2.0/index.php?mod=blog&artikel=1808 as at March 12, 2011</ref>. The authorities confirmed the release of radioactive elements such as caesium and iodine<ref name="greenpeace">http://www.greenpeace.de/themen/atomkraft/nachrichten/artikel/erdbeben_in_japan_regierung_ruft_atomaren_notstand_aus/ as at March 12, 2011</ref>. Independent experts say that a nuclear meltdown must have happened. According to the German news "Tagesschau" Japanese officials also confirmed a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima<ref>http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/fukushima126.html as at March 12, 2011</ref>. This had been confirmed by a statement of Chief Secretary ''Yukio Edano'' on Sunday saying that at least one nuclear meltdown occured<ref name="contratom" \>. Later he stated also a nuclear meltdown in reactor 3 of Fukushima 1 to be "possible"<ref name="contratom" />.  
+
An ''atomic power emergency'' has been declared by the Japanese government on Saturday March 12 while up to 300,000 residents (other sources talk about "over 200,000"<ref name="wiki_quake" />) had been evacuated in a zone of 20 kilometers around Fukushima I ''Daiichi'' and Fukushima II ''Daini''<ref name="Wikipedia_Fukushima1" /><ref name="bbc">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698 as at March 12, 2011</ref>. Several emergency power generators failed supplying the emergency cooling systems with electricity<ref name="contratom">http://www.contratom.de/2.0/index.php?mod=blog&artikel=1808 as at March 12, 2011</ref>. The authorities confirmed the release of radioactive elements such as caesium and iodine<ref name="greenpeace">http://www.greenpeace.de/themen/atomkraft/nachrichten/artikel/erdbeben_in_japan_regierung_ruft_atomaren_notstand_aus/ as at March 12, 2011</ref>. Independent experts say that a nuclear meltdown must have happened. According to the German news "Tagesschau" Japanese officials also confirmed a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima<ref>http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/fukushima126.html as at March 12, 2011</ref>. This had been confirmed by a statement of Chief Secretary ''Yukio Edano'' on Sunday saying that at least one nuclear meltdown occured<ref name="contratom" />. Later he stated also a nuclear meltdown in reactor 3 of Fukushima 1 to be "possible"<ref name="contratom" />.  
  
 
First, an area of 3 kilometers had been evacuated on Friday, March 11. Later it was enlarged to a 10 km evacuation zone and then to a 20 km evacuation zone while residents of the 20-30 km zone were advized not to leave their houses. On the very first day a BBC reporter spoke about a prohibition zone of 60 kilometers.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12720219 as at March 12, 2011</ref> On March 24, 23 members of Japan’s Parliament have signed a statement urging a larger evacuation zone <ref name="nirs" />.
 
First, an area of 3 kilometers had been evacuated on Friday, March 11. Later it was enlarged to a 10 km evacuation zone and then to a 20 km evacuation zone while residents of the 20-30 km zone were advized not to leave their houses. On the very first day a BBC reporter spoke about a prohibition zone of 60 kilometers.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12720219 as at March 12, 2011</ref> On March 24, 23 members of Japan’s Parliament have signed a statement urging a larger evacuation zone <ref name="nirs" />.
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By Thursday March 17, the available data about radiation from Fukushima I show releases of already "about a tenth of what was released from the Chernobyl-4 reactor in Ukraine in 1986", experts of the French IRSN (Institute of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety) informed.<ref>http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/ElectricPower/6916290 as at March 19, 2011</ref> The Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), which is advising the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported on March 23 that releases of radioactive Cesium (hazardous life: 300-600 years) from Fukushima now are 20-60% those of Chernobyl; releases of Iodine-131 are at 20% Chernobyl releases<ref name="nirs" />.
 
By Thursday March 17, the available data about radiation from Fukushima I show releases of already "about a tenth of what was released from the Chernobyl-4 reactor in Ukraine in 1986", experts of the French IRSN (Institute of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety) informed.<ref>http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/ElectricPower/6916290 as at March 19, 2011</ref> The Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), which is advising the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported on March 23 that releases of radioactive Cesium (hazardous life: 300-600 years) from Fukushima now are 20-60% those of Chernobyl; releases of Iodine-131 are at 20% Chernobyl releases<ref name="nirs" />.
  
On Saturday March 19 the Japanese government confirmed high radiation in spinach and milk near the nuclear power plant<ref name="nytimes19">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/asia/20japan.html?_r=1 as at March 19, 2011</ref>. The spinach was growing some 60 kilometers from the site<ref name="nirs" />. Vegetables from the Fukushima region and the also radioactively affected Ibaraki area south of Fukushima are still going to be sold in Tokyo, the New York Times reported<ref name="nytimes19" />.
+
On Saturday March 19 the Japanese government confirmed high radiation in spinach and milk near the nuclear power plant<ref name="nytimes19">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/asia/20japan.html?_r=1 as at March 19, 2011</ref>. The spinach was growing some 60 kilometers from the site<ref name="nirs" />. Vegetables from the Fukushima region and the also radioactively affected Ibaraki area south of Fukushima are still going to be sold in Tokyo, the New York Times reported<ref name="nytimes19" />. Radioactive Iodine-131 was found in Tokyo’s water supply at twice the allowable level for infants, the government told on March 22 advising not to let infants drink tap water or use it in formula<ref name="nirs" />.
  
 
On March 24 Japanese officials said that infants - even outside the evacuation zone - could have received a dose of 10 rems to their thyroids from Iodine-131 over the past two weeks. This would apply to infants who had stayed outdoors every day. The radiation levels remained far above normal<ref name="nirs" />.
 
On March 24 Japanese officials said that infants - even outside the evacuation zone - could have received a dose of 10 rems to their thyroids from Iodine-131 over the past two weeks. This would apply to infants who had stayed outdoors every day. The radiation levels remained far above normal<ref name="nirs" />.

Revision as of 22:16, 24 March 2011

http://www.bfs.de/de/ion/papiere/simulation.gif
Simulation of radionuclides spreading over the world on March 23 2 PM CET

Nuclear Disaster in Japan

As a result of a tsunami and several earthquakes the Fukushima 1 (Daiichi)[1] atomic power plant in Japan experienced a nuclear catastrophe of level INES 6[2] including several explosions, failing cooling systems, meltdown of fuel elements and releases of high amounts of radioactivity since March 11, 2011. Unit 1 exploded on March 12, 2011 at 7.30 AM GMT[3], unit 3 exploded two days later on March 14 at 2.01 AM GMT[4][5][6] and eventually also unit 2 blasted in the following night (14/3/11 9.10 PM GMT) damaging the reactor core and as officially confirmed releasing serious amounts of radiation[7][8]. There is a risk of a nuclear meltdown in unit 2 as the fuel rods have been damaged, the operator says[8]. Also a fire occured on March 15 at 0.40 AM GMT at unit 4[8] - a reactor unit that had not even been in operation when the Tsunami hit the Japanese coast last Friday.

An atomic power emergency has been declared by the Japanese government on Saturday March 12 while up to 300,000 residents (other sources talk about "over 200,000"[9]) had been evacuated in a zone of 20 kilometers around Fukushima I Daiichi and Fukushima II Daini[1][7]. Several emergency power generators failed supplying the emergency cooling systems with electricity[2]. The authorities confirmed the release of radioactive elements such as caesium and iodine[10]. Independent experts say that a nuclear meltdown must have happened. According to the German news "Tagesschau" Japanese officials also confirmed a nuclear meltdown in Fukushima[11]. This had been confirmed by a statement of Chief Secretary Yukio Edano on Sunday saying that at least one nuclear meltdown occured[2]. Later he stated also a nuclear meltdown in reactor 3 of Fukushima 1 to be "possible"[2].

First, an area of 3 kilometers had been evacuated on Friday, March 11. Later it was enlarged to a 10 km evacuation zone and then to a 20 km evacuation zone while residents of the 20-30 km zone were advized not to leave their houses. On the very first day a BBC reporter spoke about a prohibition zone of 60 kilometers.[12] On March 24, 23 members of Japan’s Parliament have signed a statement urging a larger evacuation zone [13].

"The cores of the three reactors are believed to have partially melted", the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported on Tuesday Morning[8][14].

Damages of the containment

On Saturday March 12 the Japanese authorities claimed the reactor pressure vessel of unit 1 of Fukushima 1 wouldn't have been damaged. But this is in conflict with the officially confirmed releases of Caesium. Friday evening the authorities already had claimed there wouldn't have been any danger of radioactivity releases. First independent meassurements of radiation showed a serious of radioactivity even in a certain distance to the crashed reactor units[15].

Collapsed MOX reactor increasening threats at Fukushima I

Around 9 PM GMT Saturday March 12 evening Reuters informed about Fukushima 1 unit 3 that "the emergency cooling system is no longer functioning (...) as an official of the Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency told a news conference"[16]. "This is of particular concern since, unlike all of the other reactors in trouble, Unit 3 has been using plutonium-based MOX (mixed oxide) fuel since September 10, 2010. Consequences of an accident at a MOX-powered reactor would be even more severe than at a more typical uranium-powered reactor", says the Nuclear Information and Resource Service[13] On March 13 the chief Cabinet secretary of Japan's government informed that an explosion at unit 3 of Fukushima 1 is possible to occur, but that they wouldn't expect a meltdown to happen[17][18] (however they want to be sure about that after the last days' experiences...). Several attempts to cool the reactor core failed until the late evening of Sunday[2], it eventually exploded Monday morning at 2.01 AM GMT[19][20]. NIRS believes there are now multiple meltdowns in progress along with significant releases from irradiated fuel pools[13].


Status of the affected facilities

  • Fukushima 1 unit 1: Steam was seen coming from Units 1 through 4 today, in some cases large amounts - the steam is carrying radiation into the air (24/3/11)[13]
    • The water level is such low that measurement instruments couldn't be recorded clearly anymore as the Japanese nuclear authority NISA found out (18/3/11)[21]
    • The outer building is damaged and it is presumed that there was a partial meltdown. At least small amounts of radioactivity have been vented (16/3/11)[22]
  • Fukushima 1 unit 2: 1.4 m of the fuel rods are exposed (17/3/11 11 PM GMT)[21]
    • primary containment is believed to be significantly breached (16/3/11 2 PM GMT)[13]
    • there has been an explosion; there is speculation that this explosion has damaged the primary containment(14/3/11)[13]
    • fears of a partial meltdown as the fuel elements were several times totally exposed and thus cooling failed (14/3/11)[7]
    • no cooling capability anymore (12/3/11)[13]
  • Fukushima 1 unit 3: the condition of the fuel pools appears to remain more serious (19/3/11 2.30 PM GMT)[13]
    • 2.3 m of the fuel rods are exposed (17/3/11 11 PM GMT)[21]
    • the fuel pool might also be losing water and could soon be in the same condition as at unit 4 (16/3/2011)[23]
  • Fukushima 1 unit 4: the condition of the fuel pools appears to remain more serious (19/3/11 2.30 PM GMT)[13]
    • US NRC Chairman Greg Jazcko told a Congressional committee this afternoon that the Unit 4 fuel pool has no water and is releasing massive amounts of radiation (16/3/11 8.30 PM GMT)[13]; commission representatives in Tokyo and TEPCO confirmed that the pool at No. 4 was empty (18/3/11)[23][21]; NRC people were on the site saying that the fuel pool is without water and that the released radiation is lethal in a short period of time (17/3/11 9 PM GMT)[13]
    • flames appeared; it is impossible to go near the fire since the radiation is so high (15/3/11 8.45 PM GMT)[13]
    • There was briefly a fire in the irradiated fuel pool - it is said to be extinguished for now (15/3/11 12.15 PM GMT)[13]
  • Fukushima 1 unit 5: TEPCO has cut holes in the roofs of the containment building in an effort to remove building pressure and prevent explosions such as those that severely damaged Units 1, 3 and 4. This means some radiation is certainly being released through these holes (19/3/11 2.30 PM GMT)[13]
    • offcials said they had experienced a slight rise in temperature, while the operator says the emergency power supplies have been restored (18/3/11)[23][21]
  • Fukushima 1 unit 6: TEPCO has cut holes in the roofs of the containment building in an effort to remove building pressure and prevent explosions such as those that severely damaged Units 1, 3 and 4. This means some radiation is certainly being released through these holes (19/3/11 2.30 PM GMT)[13]
    • offcials said they had experienced a slight rise in temperature, while the operator says the emergency power supplies have been restored (18/3/11)[23][21]


Connected additional accidents in other atomic facilities

Several other nuclear Japanese facilities are faced to serious safety issues as a result of the tsunami and earthquakes: the reprocessing unit Rokkasho (difficulties with cooling systems), the NPP Fukushima 2 Daini (fire, failing cooling systems - atomic power emergency declared), the NPP Tokai (two of three emergency power generators failed) and the NPP Onagawa (fire, leakage - atomic power emergency declared)[10][2].

Health impacts of the catastrophe

One worker died as a result of the explosion of Fukushima 1 unit 1, three others were injured and sent to hospital. A contractor had been found unconscious and two workers of a "cooperative firm" had been injured. At unit 3 one worker received a high radiation dose, and the whereabout of two workers remained unknown.[24] "Fukushima Prefecture revealed that there are an additional 19 individuals who have received radiation doses. This brings the total to 22 people. According the METI’s NISA, there is a possibility that 160 individuals living in the vicinity of the nuclear power plants have received radiation doses", Mainichi reported on Sunday March 13[25]. While Japanese authorities as well as an IAEA spokesman and recently also some BBC correspondents were downplaying the risks of the radiation released, the legal exposure limit for the workers was raised on Wednesday from 100 to 250 millisieverts in Japan[7]. Meanwhile the operator of the crashed NPPs TEPCO and the Japanese authorities are considering a Chernobyl-like sarcophagus solution as a last means for the damaged reactors[21].

By Thursday March 17, the available data about radiation from Fukushima I show releases of already "about a tenth of what was released from the Chernobyl-4 reactor in Ukraine in 1986", experts of the French IRSN (Institute of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety) informed.[26] The Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), which is advising the International Atomic Energy Agency, reported on March 23 that releases of radioactive Cesium (hazardous life: 300-600 years) from Fukushima now are 20-60% those of Chernobyl; releases of Iodine-131 are at 20% Chernobyl releases[13].

On Saturday March 19 the Japanese government confirmed high radiation in spinach and milk near the nuclear power plant[27]. The spinach was growing some 60 kilometers from the site[13]. Vegetables from the Fukushima region and the also radioactively affected Ibaraki area south of Fukushima are still going to be sold in Tokyo, the New York Times reported[27]. Radioactive Iodine-131 was found in Tokyo’s water supply at twice the allowable level for infants, the government told on March 22 advising not to let infants drink tap water or use it in formula[13].

On March 24 Japanese officials said that infants - even outside the evacuation zone - could have received a dose of 10 rems to their thyroids from Iodine-131 over the past two weeks. This would apply to infants who had stayed outdoors every day. The radiation levels remained far above normal[13].

Assumptions about weather impacts by NIRS: At this point, the wind is a huge factor. So far (17/3/11), it is continuing to blow east away from the land and toward the Pacific Ocean. A shift in the wind could have severe consequences. Most alarming are reports from AccuWeather and CNN that wind directions—which through the week have been steadily west-east toward the Pacific Ocean—are shifting: first to the north and northwest, then on Monday (March 21) south toward Tokyo.[13]

Meanwhile in connection to the Fukushima disaster, since March 16, the German authorities stopped the publishment of German data about wind and radioactivity by the regular measurement stations. This stated Prof. Sebastian Pflugbeil, independent expert to the Gesellschaft für Strahlenschutz, to the news broadcasting N24[28]. The Gesellschaft für Strahlenschutz warned on March 23 about under-estimating the impacts and health risks of the radiation measured and published in Japan and spoke about levels comparable with the levels of radiation after the Chernobyl disaster 1986[29].

Despite to former publications of the German Ministry of Environment the so-called "iodine blocker" Kalium-Iodine tablets are not available for customers in Germany right now[30]. An inquiry to a public pharmacy resulted in the information that this product meant to be used in an emergency situation hasn't been available in Germany since a long time[31]. An internet search confirmed the impossibility of getting the iodine blocker in Germany as all search results say that the product "is not available at the moment". It seems to be difficult to order it at online pharmacies internationally, too[32]. An exception seems to be Goldpharma who is still offering the product. This means that independent precaution against radioactive iodine incorporation is impossible in Germany, and people would be totally depending on the authorities' decisions if and when they would assess an accident to be serious and to start to distribute the supplied iodine tablets. The only possibility for people to get the iodine blocker right now is to let a local pharmacy order it from the Austrian producer directly[33].

Causes of the disaster

What happened in detail in Fukushima is yet unclear as the authorities and the operator publish hardly any concrete information, and probably by now no one knows exactly how the reactors look inside to examine the happenings before the explosions occured. However, there are hypotheses about the causes of the accident. The major interpretation reads as following: When the 9.0-magnitudes earthquake occured on March 11 5.46 AM GMT[9], the units 1-3 of Fukushima I Daiichi were shut-down automatically[9] while the reactors 4-6 were already offline due to regular maintenance. This earthquake was the most powerful known one ever to have hit Japan, and one of the five most powerful earthquakes in the world overall since modern record-keeping began in 1900[9]. More than 600 aftershocks of magnitude 4.5 or greater occurred since the initial quake[9]. The earthquakes also disconnected the NPPs from the grid making emergency generating necessary to supply the colling systems[34]. The earthquakes also caused the huge tsunami reaching up to 10 meters[9]. The tsunami surmounted the protection seawalls that were thought to stop normal tsunamis and hit the emergency power generators of the units[9]. Although the Tsunami is regarded to have been high, it has not been the highest Tsunami hitting Japan in history - 22 Tsunamis have been recorded since 684 AD, including 11 events with waves heights in the range of 13-55 m[9]. The emergency power generators still worked for a certain time before they failed. When the cooling systems stopped working hydrogen was generated under the conditions of hot steam and high pressure. Due to the nitrogen concentration in the reactor core it could not ignite inside the containment. To reduce the pressure and to prevent an explosion the operator opened the containment to release some steam (and simultaneous to release radiation to the environment). Shortly afterwards unit 1 exploded due to the hydrogen catching fire in the nitrogen poor reactor building. This happened in other units later, too.

Even after shutting down a reactor a high amount of so-called decay-heat is produced by the radioactive inventory[35]. The decay products of the nuclear fission keep on decaying producing heat: Immediately after the shut down depending on the time of usage of the fuel in the reactor the decay heat is 5-10 % of the original thermal output of the reactor. For instance, a current reactor has an electric output of 1,300 MW and some 4,000 MW thermal output - thus, the decay heat at the moment after the shut down is still 200-400 MW. This amount first decreases fast and later slower - after 10 seconds it is 149 MW, after 1 minute it is 102 MW, after 1 hour it is 40 MW, after 1 day it is 18 MW. After 3 months it is still 3 MW. This heat needs to be lead away to prevent a meltdown of the fuel. As the heat and pressure would not be high enough for the operation of the steam turbine, the fuel needs to artificially be cooled. Because of the small volume in the reactor core and the produced heat a meltdown would cover the entire fuel inventory. Locally reduced meltdowns only appear in connection to material defects, but not as a result of a loss of coolant. Even months after shutting down the reactor the produced decay heat is high enough to cause a meltdown if the cooling systems don't work.[36]

On March 20, Nuclear Power Daily uncovered TEPCO to have lied about their safety procedures: "We can't say that the lapses listed in the (February 28) report did not have an influence on the chain of events leading to this crisis", a nuclear safety agency official said. TEPCO had admitted a couple of days before the catastrophe that they had faked reparing records. For several years wrong statements about inspections and results had been made by TEPCO including parts of cooling systems like water pump motors and diesel generators.[37]

Another message about the design based failure of the emergency cooling systems in Fukushima arose by film maker Adam Curtis producing the documentary "A Is For Atom". He pointed out that his interviews from the 1960's already showed a design failure of the cooling systems of General Electrics Boiling Water Reactors of the Fukushima type. A couple of years later in 1971 the Atomic Energy Commision tested them in reality and realized that while the systems basically worked properly the level of water in the core did not rise. "We discovered that our theoretical calculations didn't have a strong correlation with reality. But we just couldn't admit to the public that all these safety systems we told you about might not do any good", one of the AEC scientists says in the film. In the same year the first of the Fukushima reactors came online.[38] Units 1, 2 and 6 of Fukushima I Daiichi had been supplied by General Electrics[39].

Reactions in other countries

IPPNW, the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, on March 22 demanded the World Health Organization (WHO) to inform the Japanese public about the true impacts of the Fukushima disaster. A treaty between WHO and IAEA from 1959 forces the World Health Organization to assign their competences on health impacts of radiation to them. But the objective of the IAEA actually is the promotion of nuclear power. There is a conflict of interests between the protection of people against nuclear power and fostering this technology. "The WHO should declare themselves in favor of the evacuation of the women, infants and pregnant women of the affected regions as they are particularly radiation sensitive", IPPNW physician Dr. Angelika Claußen explained.[40]

While experts yet discuss the impacts of the nuclear catastrophe, the German atomic lobbying organization "Deutsches Atomforum" insisted a similar accident could not happen at German nuclear power plants as their safety systems would be prepared to deal with those situations (the same the Japanese nuclear industry said about their reactors by now)[41]. Meanwhile Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) said March 12 that the explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi No. 1 nuclear plant could only have been caused by a meltdown of the reactor core[42]. Under public pressure and on view of several elections during the next weeks the German government decided the temporary shut-down of seven German NPPs for some 3 months[43].

Criticism arose about German companies having been involved to the financing of the blasted reastors: up to 60 Million Euros had been invested by German banks to Fukushima[44]

As a result of the massive protests in Germany the German government had to announce a moratorium of three months of interruption[45] of operation for the seven oldest and most dangerous nuclear reactors: Neckarwestheim-1, Philippsburg-1, Isar-1, Biblis-A, Unterweser, Biblis-B, Krümmel and Brunsbüttel have been shut-down now[46]. Also some federal states[47] are considering to force the atomic industry to shut down some of their reactors - for instance the Neckarwestheim-1 NPP will be closed permantly[45]. Basically all German NPP will be subject of safety checks during the next months, the government decided[48]. In contrast to this decision Chancellor had stated in direct reaction to the catastrophe in Japan that the German reactors would be safe and that there wouldn't be any reason for concerns.

Meanwhile the German Minister of Ecology, who is also in charge of nuclear safety in Germany, announced to develop new regulations for a fast extension of renewable energy supplies in Germany[49].

Since March 12, 2011 vigiles, rallies, blockades[50] of nuclear facilities and other actions[51][52] are happening around the world to demand an immediate global shut-down of all atomic facilities. In Germany two days after the first explosions about 110,000 people protested on March 14 in more than 450 vigiles[53][54], on March 21 about 140,000 demonstrated in some 750 vigiles[55][56]. On Saturday March 19 some 10,000 protested in Hannover against atomic power[57] and 2,000 people demonstrated their opposition to nuclear power in Hamburg. Mass demonstrations have been called out for March 26 in Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg and Munich. A blockade of nuclear power plants was announced by X-tausend mal quer" for June - when the moratorium of the seven oldest reactors in Germany (they have been tuned off for three months after Fukushima) will end. People are already publicly announcing their participation in theses sit-in blockades or their solidarity with the action.


The Nuclear information and resource service provides an updated factsheet about the catastrophe of Fukushima 1.





Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fukushima_I_Nuclear_Power_Plant&oldid=418460202 as at March 12, 2011
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 http://www.contratom.de/2.0/index.php?mod=blog&artikel=1808 as at March 12, 2011
  3. http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/wordpress1/index.php?p=2 as at March 12, 2011
  4. http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/77606.html as at March 14, 2011
  5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMCa-Zo_ZEU&sns=fb as at March 14, 2011
  6. http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsunamiupdate01.html as at March 14, 2011
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698 as at March 12, 2011
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/78063.html as at March 15, 2011
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami&oldid=420466410 as at March 24, 2011
  10. 10.0 10.1 http://www.greenpeace.de/themen/atomkraft/nachrichten/artikel/erdbeben_in_japan_regierung_ruft_atomaren_notstand_aus/ as at March 12, 2011
  11. http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/fukushima126.html as at March 12, 2011
  12. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12720219 as at March 12, 2011
  13. 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 http://www.nirs.org/reactorwatch/accidents/Fukushimafactsheet.pdf as at March 13, 2011
  14. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/function/0,,83389_cid_14917321,00.html?maca=de-aa-news-855-rdf as at March 16, 2011
  15. https://www.facebook.com/notes/anti-nuclear/disaster-fukushima-the-first-independent-measurements-of-radioactivity-are-alarm/10150122538293442 as at March 14, 2011
  16. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/12/us-japan-quake-nuclear-cooling-idUSTRE72B3GI20110312 as at March 12, 2011
  17. http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/77319.html as at March 13, 2011
  18. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12724953 as at Sunday March 13, 2011
  19. http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/77606.html as at March 14, 2011
  20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMCa-Zo_ZEU&sns=fb as at March 14, 2011
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 21.6 http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/0,1518,751682,00.html as at March 18, 2011
  22. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/16/world/asia/reactors-status.html?ref=asia as at March 17, 2011
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/world/asia/17nuclear.html?_r=1 as at March 17, 2011
  24. http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS_Battle_to_stabilise_earthquake_reactors_1203111.html as at March 12, 2011
  25. http://mainichi.jp/select/weathernews/20110311/news/20110313k0000e040033000c.html as at March 13, 2011 via http://www.greenaction-japan.org/modules/wordpress1/index.php?p=2 as at March 13, 2011
  26. http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/RSSFeed/ElectricPower/6916290 as at March 19, 2011
  27. 27.0 27.1 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/asia/20japan.html?_r=1 as at March 19, 2011
  28. https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=144759748925071&comments as at March 23, 2011
  29. http://www.gfstrahlenschutz.de/pm110323.htm as at March 23, 2011
  30. http://jodblockade.de/ as at March 24, 2011
  31. Call to the "Brückenapotheke Roßwein" on March 24, 2011
  32. Search request e.g. http://www.google.de/search?q=Kaliumjodid+Lannacher+kaufen&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:de:official&client=firefox-a#q=Kaliumiodid+Lannacher+kaufen&hl=de&client=firefox-a&hs=C98&rls=org.mozilla:de:official&prmd=ivns&ei=lXSLTae3AoTssgbgguicCg&start=10&sa=N&fp=2233dc865a328f9f as at March 24, 2011
  33. http://www.lannacher.at/zusatzinfo/1300353565.pdf as at March 24, 2011
  34. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-world-tv as at March 24, 2011
  35. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Decay_heat&printable=yes as at March 24, 2011
  36. http://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nachzerfallsw%C3%A4rme&oldid=86711038 as at March 24, 2011
  37. http://www.nuclearpowerdaily.com/reports/Days_before_quake_plant_operator_admitted_oversight_999.html as at March 21, 2011
  38. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2011/03/a_is_for_atom.html as at March 23, 2011
  39. http://www.anti-atom-piraten.de/2011/03/seit-1971-versagen-des-notkuhlsystems-beim-reaktortyp-fukushima-als-designfehler-bekannt/ as at March 23, 2011
  40. http://www.ippnw.de/startseite/artikel/0f63d4ab40/who-soll-objektiv-ueber-gesundheitli.html as at March 24, 2011
  41. http://www.kernenergie.de/kernenergie/documentpool/Presse/PM-2011-04_Ereignisse_Japan.pdf as at March 12, 2011
  42. http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20110312-japanese-government-confirms-meltdown as at March 13, 2011
  43. http://www.contratom.de/2.0/index.php?mod=blog&artikel=1820 as at March 17, 2011
  44. http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/0,1518,751490,00.html as at March 21, 2011
  45. 45.0 45.1 http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,751078,00.html as at March 21, 2011
  46. http://www.contratom.de/2011/03/17/sofort-abschalten/ as at March 21, 2011
  47. http://www.presseportal.de/pm/6329/2012846/gruner_jahr_stern as at March 24, 2011
  48. http://www.spiegel.de/video/video-1115491.html as at March 21
  49. http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/energiewende-plaene-der-regierung-neue-netze-mehr-windkraft-und-alles-ganz-schnell-1.1074809 as at March 21, 2011
  50. http://www.contratom.de/2.0/index.php?mod=blog&baum2=1&baum3=1&artikel=1827 as at March 21, 2011
  51. http://www.contratom.de/2011/03/18/abschalten-abseilaktion-in-magdeburg/#more-242 as at March 21, 2011
  52. http://www.greenpeace.de/themen/atomkraft/nachrichten/artikel/projektionen_an_acht_akws_qdas_luegen_geht_weiterq/ as at March 21, 2011
  53. http://www.ausgestrahlt.de/mitmachen/fukushima as at March 21, 2011
  54. http://www.contratom.de/2.0/index.php?mod=blog&baum2=1&baum3=1&artikel=1825 as at March 17, 2011
  55. http://www.ausgestrahlt.de/mitmachen/fukushima as at March 21, 2011
  56. http://www.contratom.de/2011/03/21/141-612-menschen-demonstrieren-in-726-orten-fur-die-stilllegung-der-akw/ as at March 22, 2011
  57. http://www.contratom.de/2011/03/19/10-000-demonstrieren-in-hannover-gegen-atomkraft/#more-336 as at March 21, 2011