Japan has begun its 22nd discharge of treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, according to local media reports.
The latest release started at 11.28am local time (10.28am Malaysian time) on July 30, with operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) overseeing the operation.
According to information released by TEPCO on July 28, the current discharge is scheduled to continue until Aug 17.
During this period, approximately 7,800 tonnes of treated wastewater are expected to be released into the sea, containing around 1.3 trillion becquerels of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen.
Japan began releasing treated wastewater from the Fukushima plant into the Pacific Ocean in August 2023, despite strong objections and concerns raised by several countries and groups within the international community.
As of July 24, Japan had completed 21 discharge operations, releasing a cumulative total of approximately 165,000 tonnes of treated wastewater.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant was severely damaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, resulting in one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters. The wastewater has undergone treatment to remove most radioactive substances before being diluted and discharged, although the releases continue to spark international debate over their environmental and safety implications.
