On August 24, 2023, the Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company began releasing ALPS-treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean.
From 2012 to 2020, the Suetsugi district carried out radiation measurement activities as part of a local project in collaboration with the citizens’ group “Ethos in Fukushima.” This was a practice of the co-expertise process recommended by the ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) in its guidelines. (For details, please see the “Suetsugi Atlas.“)
In November 2023, following the release of the treated water, we visited the Suetsugi district as a follow-up and held a meeting with the residents who participated in the measurement activities. During this meeting, a resident raised a question about the ALPS-treated water.
While it is understood that the tritium within the treated water is diluted by seawater offshore and return to normal levels, could it possibly concentrate again in areas such as coastal stagnations or bays?
The most reliable and certain way to address concerns about radiation is to measure and verify it ourselves, as we have learned from the co-expertise process since the 2011 nuclear accident.
However, measuring tritium requires specialized equipment, which we do not have.
While seeking someone to assist us, Professor Yuji Torikai of the Faculty of Science at Ibaraki University kindly agreed to cooperate. Since we do not need detailed measurement values, the measurements will compare tritium concentrations in coastal waters before and after the release of ALPS-treated water to see if there is any difference.
We will share the results of the measurement activities conducted in the Suetsugi district on our website, with the permission of the residents.