10 Years After Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
On 11 March 2011, the Tohoku earthquake of magnitude 9.0 struck Fukushima Prefecture, together with other cities along the Northeastern coast of Japan. Multiple aftershocks and a tsunami of 14 metres followed. As a result, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Powerplant was severely damaged. This led to the leakage of radioactive substances including caesium-137, iodine-131 and strontium-90, among others. With guidance from your economics tutor Singapore in your economics tuition Singapore class, discuss the negative effects of the Fukushima nuclear disaster on the environment and economy of the country.
Negative Effects Of Radioactive Substances
Caesiumm-137 readily reacts with chlorine to form caesium chloride. If caesium chloride enters our bodies, the radioactive caesium-137 ion will get into muscle tissues, which will significantly increase the risk of cancer. More alarmingly, caesium-137, with a half-life of 20 years, poses long-term risk of exposure through contaminated food and water. To know the definition of half-life of a radioactive substance, you may ask your economics tutor Singapore to recommend a good science tutor. Mr Edmund Quek is widely regarded as the best economics tutor Singapore. The economics tutor Singapore has collaborated with some of the most sought-after science tutors to offer economics tuition Singapore, as well as tuition classes in other subjects at Economics Cafe Learning Centre, the best economics tuition Singapore centre in Bishan.
Iodine-131 has a much shorter half-life of 138 days. However, it is regarded as one of the most lethal radioactive substances released in a nuclear reaction. Iodine-131 can be readily absorbed by thyroid glands and an excessive presence of iodine-131 in our thyroid glands can lead to thyroid cancer and in the event of children, affect their growth. Strontium-90 can lead to bone cancer and damage of bone marrows. With a half-life of 28.8 years, it also poses long-term risk of exposure. Fukushima nuclear disaster is considered the most severe nuclear accident since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. You may consult your economics tutor Singapore in economics tuition Singapore for a comparison study of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster versus the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Reactivation Of Nuclear Powerplants
Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011, all reactors in Japan’s 17 nuclear powerplants were shut down by May 2012 for safety checks. However, the Japanese government later decided to reactivate the nuclear powerplants despite heated debates and massive public protests. To minimise the risk of exposure of radioactive substances and ensure public safety, the Nuclear Regulation Authority issued the new regulatory requirements. Under the more stringent requirements, only four out of 17 nuclear powerplants were allowed to resume operation. Many questioned the government’s decision to reactivate nuclear powerplants. Few asked why it was necessary for Japan to have nuclear energy. In discussion with your economics tutor Singapore in economics tuition Singapore, list down the possible reasons. You may sign up for economics tuition Singapore with a reputable economics tutor Singapore should you need help with the subject.
Japan is a country poor in natural resources. Therefore, it has to rely heavily on imports of such resources. According to reports, 80 per cent of Japan’s energy requirement was met by import of crude oil and other natural resources. The oil crises in the 1970s forced Japan to diversify its energy sources. The introduction of nuclear powerplants provided the much-needed solution. Prior to the Fukushima nuclear disaster, nuclear energy accounted for about 30 per cent of the total electricity generation in Japan. This percentage fell drastically in the years following the Fukushima nuclear disaster and stood at 7.5 per cent as of 2019. This is way lower than that of other developed countries such as the United States of America and France which have nuclear energy as their primary source of electricity generation.
Linda Geng
Economics Tuition Singapore @ Economics Cafe
Principal Economics Tutor: Mr. Edmund Quek