Iran’s government spokesman, Ali Rabiei, said the country had also produced 108 kilograms of uranium enriched at 20%. In 2020, hawks in Iran’s parliament pushed through a law requiring the government to step up uranium enrichment, in response to former President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA nuclear deal. Iran says it has produced another 6.5 kg of uranium enriched at 60%. Photo: AFP. “Under the law of Congress, the Atomic Energy Agency has to produce 120 kg of 20% enriched uranium per year. But according to the latest report, we have produced 108 kg in the last 5 months alone,” Mr. know. A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in May said that as of May 22, Iran had produced 62.8 kg of uranium enriched to 20% and 2.4 kg of uranium enriched rich at 60%. At the next level, the level of uranium enrichment will be increased from 2-5%, the IAEA report said. At the moment, Iran and the US are participating in discussions in Vienna about the possibility of the two sides returning to comply with the provisions of the JCPOA nuclear agreement. Washington Post On June 13, citing a senior US administration official, the two sides have made great progress on all issues, although it is not certain that the JCPOA will be restored. Meanwhile, the administration of President Joe Biden on June 10 lifted sanctions on three former officials and two Iranian companies operating in the oil industry.

At the present time, more than 1.25 million tons of contaminated water are stored in tanks at the plant. Pictured is workers involved in cleaning up Japan’s No. 1 Fukushima nuclear power plant after the 2011 disaster. (Source: AFP) On April 26, during a regular press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Uong Van Ban said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had confirmed that it would invite water experts. This group joins the working group on a plan to release treated radioactive wastewater from Japan’s No. 1 Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. After the 2011 disaster, water pumped into the damaged reactors at the No. 1 Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant to cool the fuel rods. Along with contaminated rainwater and groundwater, the reactor’s cooling wastewater is treated with an Advanced Liquid Treatment System (ALPS). ALPS removes most radioactive substances, including strontium and cesium, but cannot remove tritium. At the present time, there are more than 1.25 million tons of wastewater that has been treated but still contains radioactive substances being stored in storage tanks at the plant. On April 13, 2021, more than 10 years after the incident at the factory, the Japanese government decided to discharge this wastewater into the sea. The IAEA expressed support for Japan’s decision to discharge treated wastewater into the sea, and affirmed its readiness to provide technical assistance in monitoring this discharge. (Reuters)

Treated contaminated wastewater tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Photo: AFP / VNA Mr. Aso ensures that wastewater discharged into the sea will be treated according to the plan announced by the Government, whereby the concentration of radioactive tritium in wastewater will be diluted to 1,500 becquerel / liter, equivalent to 1/40 of the permitted concentrations are according to Japanese safety standards and 1/7 of the World Health Organization (WHO) standards for drinking water, before being released into the sea. The discharge of this wastewater into the sea will be implemented in about 2 years. After the 2011 disaster, water pumped into the damaged reactors at the No. 1 Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant to cool the fuel rods. Along with contaminated rainwater and groundwater, the reactor’s cooling wastewater is treated with an Advanced Liquid Treatment System (ALPS). ALPS removes most radioactive substances, including strontium and cesium, but cannot remove tritium. At the present time, there are more than 1.25 million tons of wastewater that has been treated but still contains radioactive substances being stored in storage tanks at the plant. On April 13, more than 10 years after the factory incident, the Japanese government decided to discharge this wastewater into the sea. The IAEA expressed support for Japan’s decision to discharge treated wastewater into the sea, and affirmed its readiness to provide technical assistance in monitoring this discharge. Before the Japanese decision, the Russian Foreign Ministry on April 15 expressed concern about this issue, at the same time urged Japan to approach the issue of wastewater treatment from the Fukushima nuclear power plant with all responsibility. responsibility. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressed her expectation that the Japanese government would show transparency and inform all countries concerned about Tokyo’s actions. In addition, Ms. Zakharova added that Russia is waiting for Japan to have more detailed explanations, while calling on Tokyo not to make economic activities of other countries difficult, including in the fishing industry. fish. On the same day, Chinese Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Jiang Hao (Wu Jianghao) summoned the Japanese Ambassador to the country Tarumi Hideo to present a note protesting the decision to discharge treated radioactive wastewater into the sea. Stored at the No. 1 Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Waste water storage tank inside the Fukushima nuclear power plant No. 1 The purpose of the move is to allay concerns about Tokyo’s plan to release the treated water of the damaged Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The wastewater generated from the aforementioned damaged nuclear power plant is stored in tanks located on the plant’s premises, and is expected to have no storage space next year. According to Japan’s NHK Radio, wastewater has been treated with the Advanced Liquid Treatment System (ALPS) to remove most of the radioactive material, but radioactive tritium remains. Before being discharged into the sea, water will be diluted so that the concentration of tritium is much lower than the national standard and will be about one-seventh of the World Health Organization’s drinking water standard. However, this plan of the Japanese government has met with fierce opposition from the local fishing community, anti-nuclear activists as well as neighboring China and South Korea. In an interview with NHK Radio, Mr. Grossi said that the Japanese Government has officially requested the IAEA to cooperate in relation to this plan. The agency may send a team of experts from various countries to help alleviate concerns by verifying that the treated water discharge is safe, said the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. full. “We may be receiving experts from different fields from different countries and regions. Any serious concerns will have the opportunity to be discussed and analyzed technically, ”said Grossi, emphasizing, cannot ignore the concerns of some local residents and neighboring countries such as Korea and China. “Regarding these concerns, we can either agree or disagree, but all must be taken seriously. We have a shared responsibility, ”added Grossi.

Mr. Zhao also emphasized that “the ocean is not the trash of Japan”. The same message he posted on Twitter personally.

Zhao’s statement came after the Japanese government approved a project to discharge 1.25 million tons of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea.

Earlier, on April 13, Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso said in a press conference that “there will be no harm” when drinking treated water, and he said that Japan should drain water sooner. .

Foreign Ministry spokesman Trieu Lap Kien. Photo: Twitter.

The Chinese spokesman also mentioned Minamata disease, saying Japan “should not forget the historic tragedy” and urged Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga not to discharge wastewater into the sea without the consent of other countries.

Miamata disease is a neurological disease that has killed nearly 2,000 Japanese people, and is caused by a Japanese company discharging methyl mercury waste into the environment.

According to the plan, Japan will discharge wastewater into the sea within the next two years. The government said wastewater was treated and diluted to meet World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standards. However, treatment cannot remove tritium – a radioactive isotope of hydrogen.

Although Japan’s decision to discharge wastewater was approved by the United States and the IAEA, it faced opposition from the country’s fishing industry and neighboring countries. The Chinese spokesperson stated that Japan must reach a consensus of all concerned before proceeding with the discharge.

Mr. Zhao also warned: “China has the right to make follow-up reactions.”

Foreign Ministry spokesman Trieu Lap Kien.

“The oceans are not Japan’s trash, the Pacific is not Japan’s sewage trench. The world does not have to pay the price for Japan’s discharge of radioactive water. On some Japanese officials say,” “Nothing will happen even if you drink this”, please drink first, then we will talk, “Foreign Ministry spokesman Trieu Lap Kien said at a press conference on the 14th. / 4.

“We call on the Japanese side to be aware of their responsibilities, to adhere to a scientific approach, to fulfill international obligations and to take into account the serious concerns of the world community and neighboring countries. and the people of our own country, “added the Chinese diplomatic representative.

Earlier, on April 13, the Japanese government announced a plan to discharge more than 1 million tons of radioactive contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific.

According to the roadmap, the discharge will begin in about two years, and the entire process is expected to take decades.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said that the decision to release polluted water into the Pacific was the “most realistic” and “inevitable” option to achieve the recovery of Fukushima “.

Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso affirmed that this water source has been treated, diluted, will be very safe, drinkable, and said that Japan should discharge water sooner.

About 1.25 million tons of water has accumulated in the area of ​​the Fukushima nuclear plant after the tsunami hit in 2011.

The amount of radioactive water is increasing by about 140 tons per day, is currently stored in more than 1,000 tanks and is expected to run out of storage space by next fall.

Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other third parties will be involved in the plan, ensuring the discharge of treated wastewater in Fukushima into the sea is carried out. transparent way.

In a recent statement, the IAEA confirmed to support this decision, because radioactive elements, except tritium, will be removed from the water or reduced to a safe level before being discharged. The IAEA has also shown that nuclear plants around the world use a similar process to treat wastewater.

However, Japan’s discharge has met with opposition from fishing communities in this country as well as concerns from neighboring countries such as China and South Korea.

South Korea expressed “serious concern” that the Japanese decision would have a direct and indirect impact on the safety of its people and the surrounding marine environment.

South Korea urged Japan to provide more information on its wastewater discharge and said it would measure and monitor the radiation itself.

The above comments of Mr. Konstantin Roginsky, deputy director of the Institute of Oceanography of the Russian Academy of Sciences shared with the media on April 13.

“The amount of wastewater announced by the Japanese side is a small amount. This is a drop of water in the ocean. Even in the worst case, if the wastewater is poorly treated, this heavy water will sink to the bottom and lie at a depth of 5-6-8 km, ”said Mr. Roginsky.

The waste water is planned to be discharged into the ocean, not posing a threat to the ecosystem of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, because the currents in that area go from north to south in the direction of the Russian scientist. Japan”.

The wastewater discharge will begin in about two years and the entire process is expected to take decades. (Image: Reuters)

According to Roginsky, the discharge of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant does not pose a threat to the Sea of ​​Japan, which is separated from the Pacific by islands of Japan. “US naval bases are much more harmful to Japan’s coastal fisheries,” added Roginsky.

“About 1.5 million tons of wastewater will be dumped into the ocean. Accordingly, the water is diluted, losing its natural salinity. This can be more harmful to marine organisms than it is with poor radiation release. They are used to living at a certain salinity, at a certain depth, in a certain chemical composition of water, ”explained the Russian expert.

Also commenting on the contemporary Japanese announcement of the discharge of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the expert of the Federal Council on Agricultural Policy – Food and Environmental Management, Ms. Natalia Sokolova undertook that if the wastewater is properly purified, there will be no radioactive threat to Russia.

“Right now, the amount of liquid accumulated is very large. Most of it is regular water. If purified from all harmful impurities, including tritium, the wastewater can be safely discharged into the oceans, as well as the coastal waters of other countries will not be affected. “, Ms. Sokolova shared with Sputnik.

According to the ecologist, discharging water from nuclear power plants is a common process for operating plants. But Fukushima is an emergency, so it is not known whether or not an operation will be able to proceed. It will become clear by 2023 whether wastewater can be filtered to the required parameters.

“Rigorous laboratory analyzes should be performed during the entire wastewater purification process. Two years prior to discharge is called approximate figure. I am sure that the Japanese government will make a decision on the outcome of the wastewater purification process. So far, these are just plans and the reality is that not all wastewater can be 100% purified ”, believes Ms. Sokolova.

Japan insists it is safe to discharge water from the plant as it has been treated to remove most of the radioactive elements and will be diluted. (Image: Reuters)

Meanwhile, Dmitry Lisitsyn, President of the Far East (Russia) environmental protection organization, said that the discharge of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan would lead to radioactive pollution. was brought to the heart of the North Pacific, where Pacific salmon are inhabited.

“The Fukushima nuclear power plant is located on the Pacific coast of Honshu Island. When radioactive pollution enters the Pacific off the coast of Honshu, they are quickly transported to the northeast by the Kuroshio currents, then into the North Pacific stream. All polluted wastewater is sent directly to the North Pacific. How does this threaten Russia? The fish forage in the North Pacific, then infiltrate the Russian table and there will be more before the polluted wastewater completely disappears, “RIA quoted Mr. Lisitsyn.

Lisitsyn noted six Pacific salmon species live in the Far East. They spawn in rivers, feed and grow in the ocean. Specifically in the central region of the North Pacific. This is exactly the site where this pollution was done.

What does the IAEA say?

Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi, welcomed the decision of the Japanese Government to discharge wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea and promised that the organization would assistance to avoid negative consequences.

“I welcome Japan’s announcement of how they will treat wastewater stored at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The IAEA will work with Japan before, during and after discharge to help ensure this is done without negatively affecting health and the environment, ”wrote Grossi on Twitter.

According to Mr. Grossi, the controlled discharge of water into the sea is regularly used by nuclear power plants operating in the world and in the region, they comply with strict environmental safety standards and regulations. .

The start of wastewater discharge is expected to be around 2023. At the current rate of storage in reservoirs, all available reservoirs will be filled by the end of 2022.

Earlier, speaking at a press conference on April 13, Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide announced that it would discharge more than 1 million tons of wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea, saying that the discharge of water into Thai waters Binh Duong was the “most realistic” and “inevitable” option to achieve the recovery of Fukushima.