BTL:Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Update: Mismanagement Leads to Radioactive Food Contamination

Interview with Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, conducted by Scott Harris <!--break--> Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Update: Mismanagement Leads to Radioactive Food Contamination Interview with Arjun Makhijani, president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, conducted by Scott Harris Although the multiple failure of nuclear power reactors at Fukushima, Japan is one of the worst nuclear accidents in world history, corporate press outlets have cut back on most of their coverage of the disaster triggered by the March 11 earthquake and Tsunami. Since the early days of the crisis, three of Fukushima’s six nuclear reactors melted down and spewed radioactivity into the atmosphere and nearby ocean. Although a 12-mile exclusion zone was imposed around the stricken plant, many radioactive hot spots outside the zone have caused the local population to be concerned about the negative health effects -- especially among children. In response, Fukushima’s prefectural government will conduct thyroid cancer testing on all residents who were 18 years old or under when the accident occurred, and repeat examinations every two years until the age of 20 and then every five years. The affected population is estimated to be 360,000. Story continues http://www.btlonline.org/2011/seg/110805cf-btl-makhijani.html

<p>Interview with Wendy Weiser, director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, conducted by Scott Harris</p> <!--break--><p>Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Update: Mismanagement Leads to Radioactive Food Contamination</p> <p>Interview with Arjun Makhijani, president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, conducted by Scott Harris </p> <p>Although the multiple failure of nuclear power reactors at Fukushima, Japan is one of the worst nuclear accidents in world history, corporate press outlets have cut back on most of their coverage of the disaster triggered by the March 11 earthquake and Tsunami. Since the early days of the crisis, three of Fukushima’s six nuclear reactors melted down and spewed radioactivity into the atmosphere and nearby ocean. Although a 12-mile exclusion zone was imposed around the stricken plant, many radioactive hot spots outside the zone have caused the local population to be concerned about the negative health effects -- especially among children. In response, Fukushima’s prefectural government will conduct thyroid cancer testing on all residents who were 18 years old or under when the accident occurred, and repeat examinations every two years until the age of 20 and then every five years. The affected population is estimated to be 360,000. Story continues</p> <p><a href="http://www.btlonline.org/2011/seg/110805cf-btl-makhijani.html">http://www.btlonline.org/2011/seg/110805cf-btl-makhijani.html</a></p>