Catalyst House

Is California’s coastline becoming a radioactive dead zone?

Unless you were one of the 150+ thousand people living close to the Fukushima disaster who were evacuated in 2011, Japan’s nuclear crisis might seem far away.  Remember, though, that radioactive waste spewing from the plant by the ton has been working its way into the Pacific Ocean, and from there, on to the rest of the planet. According to new research from the Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, the radioactive ocean plume from the original disaster will reach the west coast of the U.S. by early 2014.

And then there’s San Onofre

As if Fukushima wasn’t enough, electricity generation at SCE San Onofre ceased in January 2012 due to leaks in its steam generator, reportedly “without any release of radioactive isotopes.”  More than a year later, rescue centers from Long Beach to San Clemente were overwhelmed with starving sea lion pups, which soon totaled more than 3,000 cases.

Read more

Catalyst House