Nuclear waste

Nuclear waste produced by the nuclear reactors and the nuclear bombs has put the marine and terrestriallife in danger

The exact cause of the majority of these evacuation-related deaths was unspecified because that would hinder the deceased relatives' application for financial compensation. The World Health Organisation indicated that evacuees were exposed to little radiation that radiation-induced health impacts are likely to be below detectable levels, and that any additional cancer risk from radiation was small—extremely small, for the most part—and chiefly limited to those living closest to the nuclear power plant.

A 2013 WHO report predicts that for populations that would have stayed and lived in the most affected areas, and according to the (disputed) LNT hypothesis, there would have been a 70 per cent higher risk of developing thyroid cancer for girls exposed as infants (but experts said the overall risk was small: the radiation exposure means about 1.25 out of every 100 girls in the area could develop thyroid cancer over their lifetime, instead of the natural rate of about 0.75 per cent), a 7 per cent higher risk of leukemia in males exposed as infants, a 6 per cent higher risk of breast cancer in females exposed as infants and a 4 per cent higher risk, overall, of developing solid cancers for females.

The World Health Organisation stated that a 2013 thyroid ultrasound screening program was, due to the screening effect, likely to lead to an increase in recorded thyroid cases due to early detection of non-symptomatic disease cases. The Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission found the nuclear disaster was "manmade" and that its direct causes were all foreseeable. The report also found that the plant was incapable of withstanding the earthquake and tsunami.

TEPCO, regulators Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) and NSC and the government body promoting the nuclear power industry (METI), all failed to meet the most basic safety requirements, such as assessing the probability of damage, preparing for containing collateral damage from such a disaster, and developing evacuation plans.

A study shows older Japanese nuclear plants and those operated by the largest utility companies were particularly unprotected against potential tsunamis. Nuclear energy offers an alternative to many of environmental and social problems. But, it also introduces serious problems of its own. Though environment friendly, it is not yet economically affordable. Nuclear plants pose potential danger of accidents that may release hazardous radioactive materials into the environment. The problems are twofold:

• Nuclear disasters and fall out and
• Safe disposal of nuclear waste generated by nuclear plants.

Impact of nuclear disasters on the environment

The detrimental effects of nuclear leakage could be quick or slow. The quick devastating and immediate effects of nuclear radiations are well known aswitnessed following Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan during World War II. Therefore,military use of nuclear energy is always fraught with unimaginable consequences. The slow nuclear radiations can also emanate from a variety of sources viz: nuclear reactors, laboratories, hospitals, and direct exposures to radiation for diagnostic purposes (eg X-rays) Such low dose radiations could have substantial impact on life forms and ecosystems.

It is now established that continued small dose exposure to nuclear radiation is very harmful. It can cause: childhood leukemia, miscarriage; underweight babies; infant deaths; increased susceptibility to AIDS and other immune disorders and increased criminilalities. Underground bomb testing releases radiations in very small doses of radicals that enter water in the soil. This radioactive water is taken by plants through roots. The radioactivity enters food chain when such plants are eaten by animals and humans.