Fukushima tritiated water release -- What is the polemic all about?

TL;DR

This paper discusses the Fukushima tritiated water release, highlighting that despite public fears and international protests, the actual radiological danger is minimal due to regulated, low-level releases and flawed risk assessments.

Contribution

It critically examines the public and political response to Fukushima's water release, emphasizing the need for accurate risk assessment based on scientific evidence.

Findings

Releases are within safety limits and pose minimal health risks.

Public fears are amplified by regulatory overreach and misinformation.

The actual environmental impact is negligible.

Abstract

A mere amount of 2.2 grams (780 TBq) of tritium, diluted in $1.25 \cdot 10^6$ m$^3$ water, contained in 1047 tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are being released to the Pacific Ocean. The operation is scheduled to last over 30 years, with not more than releasing 62 mg (22 TBq) of tritium annually. The outcry in the world's press and the world's population is huge and countries like e.g. China are protesting aloud and are even banning Japanese seafood being sold in their domestic market. The outcry is real, the perceived fears are real, the havoc created on the Japanese fish market is real, but the danger is non-existing. The panic results from over-regulations initiated by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and similar bodies worldwide, prohibiting a reliable assessment of dangers and are thereby also preventing a solid risk analysis of real dangers.