The ALPS system used to filter wastewater at the Fukushima plant cannot remove all radioactive materials and will gradually weaken over time.
More than 1,000 giant tanks containing treated wastewater at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town on February 22, 2023. Photo: CFP
The Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) has multiple filters that remove radioactive materials through a series of chemical reactions. In a report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said the filtration process cannot remove all radioactive materials such as tritium. The safety, effectiveness and sustainability of treated wastewater have been the subject of much skepticism over the years, according to CGTN .
"According to data released by Japan, nearly 70 percent of the radioactive water treated through ALPS does not meet discharge standards. The efficiency and reliability of the system will gradually weaken due to corrosion and the age of the equipment when put into operation for a long time," said Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Japan's radioactive wastewater discharge will take 30 years or longer. "Given these uncertainties, the international community has reason to express concern and opposition," Wang said.
Liu Senlin, a researcher at the China Atomic Energy Institute and a member of the IAEA technical team that assessed the ALPS wastewater from the Fukushima plant, said the IAEA only monitored and reviewed Japan's plan to discharge the wastewater into the sea after the Japanese government announced its decision. The IAEA's assessment did not include viable alternatives to discharge into the sea, nor did it address the long-term effectiveness and reliability of the water purification equipment.
Experts are also uncertain whether ALPS can remove tritium, carbon-14, and many other radioactive isotopes based on past experience. Liu said the IAEA’s assessment was largely based on data and information provided by Japan.
The ALPS system has had frequent problems over the years. For example, there was a water leak with high levels of radioactivity in 2016. Strontium and other radioactive substances in the water exceeded normal standards in 2018. In 2021, nearly half of the ALPS filters that absorb radioactive materials in exhaust gas were damaged and needed to be replaced two years early, while their expected lifespan was 30-40 years.
An Khang (According to CGTN )
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