THE International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) started the first assessment of the safety of Japan’s discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea since it began in August of this year.
The IAEA task force assigned to conduct the assessment involves experts from 11 countries, including China and Russia.
It can be remembered that the two countries were among those who criticized the discharge.
Aside from China and Russia, the task force also includes experts from Argentina, Australia, Britain, Canada, the Marshall Islands, France, Vietnam, South Korea, and the United States.
The task force exchanged opinions with Japanese industry ministry officials, the nuclear power plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Incorporated (TEPCO), and the Nuclear Regulation Authority in Tokyo on the first day of the review.
To recall, TEPCO on Monday finished the second phase of the wastewater discharge, which began on October 5.
TEPCO has so far discharged about 15,600 tons of water with a liquid processing system that removes most radionuclides except tritium.
Meanwhile, the IAEA said the first day of the review will last through Friday, and they will publish a report on the said first safety review by the end of the year.
