Director’s Pick: Fukushima Wastewater: Policy, Health Risks, PR and Ethics

September 25, 2023
Director’s Pick
Fukushima Wastewater: Policy, Health Risks, PR and Ethics
On August 24, 2023, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began releasing treated wastewater from the earthquake and tsunami disaster of 2011 into the ocean. According to Tokyo Electric Power, the wastewater has been treated to remove most radioactive isotopes, leaving only tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen.
Despite a green light from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding Japan’s plan, China, Hong Kong, and Macau have banned Japanese seafood imports, and people in Japan and Korea have also protested this decision. Reactions bordering on hysteria including panic buying of salt, abusive phone calls to Japanese businesses, and social media campaigns to boycott Japanese products, including cosmetics, have been reported.
This program seeks to understand and put into perspective the truth regarding Fukushima wastewater being released. Our speaker will explore the policy implications for international cooperation and longer-term governance of nuclear energy ethics of this decision, the potential health risks to humans, and whether the PR and public outcry are justified.
Speaker
Robert Rosner
William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor
Departments of Astronomy & Astrophysics and Physics
Founding Co-Director, Energy Policy Institute
The University of Chicago
Moderator
Mark Barnekow (MBA’88)
Executive Director
The University of Chicago Yuen Campus in Hong Kong
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▬ Content of the Webinar ▬
Opening - 0:00
Speaker Introduction - 01:16
Professor Robert Rosner's Sharing - 02:41
Q&A Session - 27:20