Gov't to create radiation guidelines for swimming areas: Edano (JAPAN)

[AsahinaKimi]

WASHINGTON —

The government will examine radiation levels in assessing water quality of swimming areas of seas, rivers and lakes in the wake of the nuclear accident at Fukushima Daiichi power plant, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said Tuesday.

The new inspection item will be included in the water quality criteria of the Environment Ministry, he told a press conference.

While local governments have already started their own probes of radiation levels in the waters ahead of Japan’s bathing season, Edano said, ‘‘It will be difficult for them (to introduce the radiation level criterion). The state government is required to present the guidelines after hearing the opinions of the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan.’‘

Under the existing water quality criteria, the ministry checks if the water contains coliform bacteria or oil slick. Another gauge is the chemical oxygen demand, a measure to show the amount of organic compounds in water, but it does not have any guidelines for radiation levels.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/govt-to-create-radiation-guidelines-for-sea-bathing-edano

[AuntPatsy]

1. Water is linked world wide, when should we across the ocean begin to worry