Japan plans to discharge radioactive cooling water from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, which exploded in 2011, into the sea within two years. The Japanese government announced Tuesday that it is related to more than 1 million tons of water.

Work is to begin to gradually drain water into the Pacific Ocean within two years. The work is expected to take decades.

A solution for contaminated water has been researched for some time. Water was used to cool the reactors of the nuclear power plant. Thousands of liters of water are still added every day.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) responsible for storing polluted water left in 2019 I already know Almost no room for more sewage. The company expects there will not be more space by the fall of 2022.

A setback for local fishing

Drainage is a setback for local fishermen, who have been protesting for years to discharging wastewater. Environmental organizations are also involved. However, the Japanese government says a vacuum is preferable after evaluating the various options. Japan maintains that it follows strict rules in this regard. For example, the radioactive water must first be filtered and diluted.

The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant was hit by a tsunami in 2011 after a major earthquake. The nuclear reactor melted and exploded shortly thereafter. More than 150,000 people fled and nearly 19,000 lost their lives.