Disasters Of State

60 Minutes: Crude Solution

"When petroleum giant BP spilled millions of litres of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico three years ago, it was the worst ever offshore oil disaster. To try and break up that massive slick, vast quantities of chemical dispersant was sprayed on the spill. It seemed to work: the oil disappeared. But people started getting sick and then people started dying. Now, this environmental disaster has become a health catastrophe. The dispersant, when mixed with the oil, increases in toxicity by 52 times. This sickly, invisible toxin, still lurks in the water and absorbs straight into peoples' skin. They're still approved for use and our authorities are clueless as to how deadly they are." Continue reading →

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West Coast of North America to Be Hit Hard by Fukushima Radiation

"While many people assume that the ocean will dilute the Fukushima radiation, a previously-secret 1955 U.S. government report concluded that the ocean may not adequately dilute radiation from nuclear accidents, and there could be 'pockets' and 'streams' of highly-concentrated radiation. A team of top Chinese scientists has just published a study showing that Fukushima nuclear pollution is becoming more concentrated as it approaches the West Coast of the United States, that the plume crosses the ocean in a nearly straight line toward North America, and that it appears to stay together with little dispersion." Continue reading →

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The Gulf is Still Struggling, But BP’s Done Paying

"Three and a half years after an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig dumped 205 million gallons of crude oil into the ocean, leaving 11 workers dead and damaging hundreds of miles of shoreline, the Gulf Coast is still recovering. The company has spent or earmarked $42.4 billion so far for cleanup, compensation payments and environmental fines. Its profits have suffered, and it has sold $38 billion in assets to help cover the cost. BP filed suit last week against the U.S. government for a ban on awarding the company federal contracts. BP already has $1.34 billion in contracts in place to supply fuel to the government, including the military." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Gulf is Still Struggling, But BP’s Done Paying

Fukushima apocalypse: Years of ‘duct tape fixes’ could result in ‘millions of deaths’

"It will be hot, uncomfortable, your senses shielded, and you would be filled with anxiety. You are standing on a building that is close to collapse. Workers will have to be removed and replaced often. So you don't have the benefit of doing such a critical task and knowing and trusting your comrades, as they will frequently have to be replaced when their radiation dose limits are reached. If they exhibit physical or mental signs of radiation exposure, they will have be replaced more often. It will be one of the worst, but most important jobs anyone has ever had to do. And even if executed flawlessly, there are still many things that could go wrong. " Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFukushima apocalypse: Years of ‘duct tape fixes’ could result in ‘millions of deaths’

Japan’s nuclear crisis deepens, China expresses ‘shock’

"The U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday it viewed the situation at Fukushima 'seriously' and was ready to help if called upon, while nearby China said it was 'shocked' to hear contaminated water was still leaking from the plant, and urged Japanto provide information 'in a timely, thorough and accurate way'. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, or Tepco, has been criticized for its failure to prepare for the disaster and has since been accused of covering up the extent of the problems at the plant. After months of denial, Tepco recently admitted the plant was leaking contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJapan’s nuclear crisis deepens, China expresses ‘shock’

Japan’s nuclear crisis deepens, China expresses ‘shock’

"The U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday it viewed the situation at Fukushima 'seriously' and was ready to help if called upon, while nearby China said it was 'shocked' to hear contaminated water was still leaking from the plant, and urged Japanto provide information 'in a timely, thorough and accurate way'. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, or Tepco, has been criticized for its failure to prepare for the disaster and has since been accused of covering up the extent of the problems at the plant. After months of denial, Tepco recently admitted the plant was leaking contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJapan’s nuclear crisis deepens, China expresses ‘shock’

300 tonnes of radioactive water is worst leak yet at Japan’s Fukushima

"Some 300 tonnes of radioactive water is believed to have leaked from a tank at Japan’s crippled nuclear plant, the worst such leak since the crisis began, the operator said Tuesday. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said the leak was believed to be continuing Tuesday at Fukushima and it had not yet pinpointed the source of it. The company later said it had identified which tank was faulty but had yet to find the spot from where it was leaking. TEPCO admitted the toxic water might contaminate groundwater and flow into the Pacific Ocean 'in the longer term', but said it was working to avoid such a situation." Continue reading →

Continue Reading300 tonnes of radioactive water is worst leak yet at Japan’s Fukushima

San Francisco bans helmet cams after firefighters captured running over victim

"The Associated Press reported on Monday that video from Battalion Chief Mark Johnson’s helmet camera shows a fire truck running over 16-year-old Ye Meng Yuan, who was lying on the ground following the crash. The discovery of the footage led Chief Joanne Hayes-White to expand a 2009 order banning cameras on department grounds to include helmet cameras, citing concerns over firefighters’ safety. 'Why would anybody not want to know the truth?' attorney Anthony Tarricone. told the AP. 'What’s wrong with knowing what happened? What’s wrong with keeping people honest? That’s what the helmet cam did, in effect, in this case.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSan Francisco bans helmet cams after firefighters captured running over victim

Fukushima scientists brace for riskiest nuclear fuel clean-up yet

"The operation, to remove 400 tons of highly irradiated spent fuel beneath the plant’s damaged Reactor No. 4, could set off a catastrophe greater than any we have ever seen, independent experts warn. An operation of this scale, says plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company, has never been attempted before. An uncontrolled leak of nuclear fuel could cause more radiation than the March 2011 disaster or the 1986 Chernobyl catastrophe. Here’s what needs to be done: more than 1,300 used fuel rod assemblies, packing radiation 14,000 times the equivalent of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb, need to carefully be removed from their cooling pool." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFukushima scientists brace for riskiest nuclear fuel clean-up yet

300 Tons a Day of Radioactive Water From Fukushima Pours Into Ocean

"Officials in Japan hid the fact that the Fukushima nuclear plant has been pouring hundreds of tons of nuclear waste water into the ocean every day and that a containment barrier has been breached. There is no credibility from TEPCO or the Japanese government on the extent of the real disaster, its effects, the ultimate cleanup costs, or how many years fish in the area will be contaminated. In addition, contaminated fish may turn up anywhere within their normal swimming range with obvious implications." Continue reading →

Continue Reading300 Tons a Day of Radioactive Water From Fukushima Pours Into Ocean