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£250m ‘ice wall’ doesn’t fully cut off radioactive water at Fukushima, say experts
Two IAEA experts examine recovery work on the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in April 2013
[IAEA Imagebank/Creative Commons]
NUCLEAR experts concluded today that a £250 million ice wall meant to contain radioactive water at the destroyed Fukushima Daiichi power station is only partially effective and that other measures were urgently needed.
The plant’s private operator Tepco says the ice wall has helped reduce the ever-growing amount of radioactive water by half. The plant also pumps out several times as much groundwater before it reaches the tsunami-damaged reactors.
The groundwater mixes with radioactive water leaking from the damaged reactors. Contaminated water also results from rainwater that comes in contact with tainted soil and structures at the plant.
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