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Radiological Effects Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident

Jim Lynch

NRC Region III

August 24, 2011

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NRC Response Team

• Based at U.S. Embassy in Tokyo

• Colleagues from DOE, FDA, Military

• Reactor Safety Team

• Protective Measures Team

Goals

• Assist the Japanese Government with incident response

• Assist the American Ambassador with protection of U.S. citizens living in or visiting Japan

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Process

• Daily meetings with Japanese Government counterparts

• Daily interactions with other U.S. Agencies and INPO

• Americans advised to evacuate to 50 miles (80 km)

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Integrated Dose 1 Year

• Site ~400 mSv (40 rem)

• 20-30 km ~200 mSv (20 rem)

• Beyond 40 km ~20 mSv (2 rem)

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Food and Water Supply Safety

• Reviewed Japanese protocols• Resources and technical capability to

identify and quarantine contaminated food and water

• Contamination standards based on the same target doses as FDA

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Food and Water Supply (cont.)

• Consistent with international guidelines

• Up-to-date radiological risk data

• Applies conservative (protective) assumptions

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Food Testing

• Each food category is tested by Prefecture

• If guidance levels exceeded, distribution blocked in affected prefecture

• Must pass 3 consecutive tests to allow back into market

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Water

• Stopped using rainwater as drinking water source

• Early positive test required restrictions

• No issues with water supply since May 10, 2011

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Seafood

• Fishing not allowed in Fukushima waters within 20 km

• Fishing vessels have loads surveyed at docks

• Weekly samples of 2-3 species in each ocean layer

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The Road to Sendai

• Tohoku Expressway and Shinkansen Railway (bullet train) pass through the 50 mile evacuation zone

• Tests performed by U.S. and Japanese governments

• Open for travel

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Reflections

• It is a real honor to assist the Japanese people with this unbelievable disaster

• Very warm, positive comments from Japanese citizens

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