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Fukushima radiation levels 15,000% higher than first reported

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Japan has admitted that radiation levels from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant reactors are much higher than originally reported. It seems that someone "accidentally' put the decimal point in the wrong place (0.69 instead of 6.90).

 

Ever since the reactors were damaged as a result of the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, we have seen an endless stream of misleading figures.

 

We have been led to believe, by the authorities and mainstream media, that radiation levels in Japan were still within safety limits, although it was found necessary to increase the legal limits of radiation exposure to achieve this result.

 

Just a week ago we were informed that radiation levels detected by robots (in the damaged reactors) were between 49 and 57 millisieverts per hour. The limit of exposure for emergency workers in Japan is 250 millisieverts a year, which means they would exceed safety limits within just a few hours.

 

Writers discussing the dangers of radiation affecting the United States (and other countries) have been accused of creating panic and producing information without facts. Yet, even recent figures provided by the EPA have shown an increase in some radiation levels.

 

Whilst the authorities may inform us that the increased levels are of a less dangerous type of radiation (whatever that may be), there is no doubting that this is coming from the damaged reactors in Japan. And if one "type' of radiation has reached the United States, you can be certain others have as well.

 

As most of the monitoring stations are controlled by the government, it is extremely difficult to provide independent evidence to confirm the increased levels of radiation, and even harder to believe the official reports that are published.

 

It is difficult to place too much trust in the authorities when they increase the legal limits of radiation exposure to suit themselves, or have much faith in the EPA when they withdraw many of their radiation monitors (in places like California, Oregon and Washington ), because the readings "seemed too high". Could it be because the radiation levels WERE too high?

 

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Ian has been writing Op-Ed articles for more than 10 years, which have been read by millions of people. He is based in England, but spent many years living in Russia. Ian currently works as a freelance teacher of English as a second language (more...)
 
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Fukushima radiation levels 15,000% higher than first reported

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