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Gov't Starts Study Of
Radiation Effects On Wildlife Near Fukushima Plant
Fukushima Nuclear Plant
EMF Computer Protection
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The Ministry of the Environment has started a study to
examine the effects of radiation from the disaster-struck
Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant on nearby plant and
wildlife, particularly their reproductive functions.
The ministry -- working with the Japan Wildlife Research
Center and the National Institute of Radiological Sciences
-- is selecting local species of plants and animals based on
12 recommended for study by the International Commission on
Radiological Protection in the event of nuclear disaster,
including a type of mouse, shellfish, and pine tree. For
comparison purposes, specimens will be
collected from areas with differing radiation levels
both inside and near the no-entry zone around the plant.
The specimens will be checked for radioactive cesium levels,
and also for anomalies in their appearance or DNA. The study
will pay particular attention to the reproductive faculties
of amphibians and mammals and checks for abnormalities in
their offspring, as well as in the seeds of local flora.
After the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident, abnormalities in
the local swallow population were reported, such as low
white blood cell counts, shrinking brain capacities and a
drop in bird numbers. Even 26 years later, radiation is said
to be affecting the area. Without humans, local wildlife has
been able to breed without restriction, but the effects of
radiation on the ecosystem as a whole are still unknown.
(Mainichi Japan) January 30, 2012
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