Japanese Radiation Reaches Southern California: Feds Say Don't Trip

By Dennis Romero Wed., Mar. 23 2011 at 6:05 AM

A gift from Fukushima (which was an American design).

It's here.

Radiation from Japan's ailing Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station was detected in Southern California by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitors this week.

The trace amounts found in Riverside and Anaheim were said by the EPA to be "minuscule."

That means don't worry, be happy.

The radiation includes trace amounts of iodine, cesium, and tellurium that is consistent to what Fukushima has put out since a near meltdown has happened there as a result of power (and cooling systems) being cut off by Japan's earthquake and tsunami.

As we reported, the jet stream has brought western Pacific weather systems to SoCal, as it often does, and with it, it appears, some of Fukushima's bad steam.

The EPA says not to fear, because the particles ...

... pose no health concern at the detected levels. Below are the results of the detailed filter analysis. All of the radiation levels detected during the detailed filter analysis are hundreds of thousands to millions of times below levels of concern.

Reassuring. It's supposed to rain today. So, just in case, try not to get any in your eye.

Tags:

EPA, Fukushima, Japan, nuclear, Orange County, radiation, Riverside

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Gregory

Feds say don't fear; well I may not be walking around in panic; but I know we're in trouble. I live in Los Angeles, and I'm extremely worried about radiation fallout coming from Japan. Albeit we're over 5,000 miles away from the nuculear pant disaster. However, this is not a reason to be excited and relieved. In fact quite the opposite. Various harmful particles are crossing over the LA area every minute, and continue to do so; with no end in sight. It's one thing to say that these particles (as said in the news) will not "substantially" harm us. However, if you consider they're arriving every minute of every day, and continue to arrive; this is a problem. Does the government not want a panic? Who are these scientists that are coming up with conclusions about our safety? And why do I need to hear an opinion from a CNN or even a local news weatherman about how these particles disperse, and that there should be no fear. I'll tell you this, as just a layman: the particles are harmful; they may be minute; however in constant doses, it will pose health problems. The issue is this: when will the health problem or problems arise; five or ten years from now? Maybe not today, but some day they will. And we will all point to this nuculear fallout hearding over the US, and most prevalentaly in Southern California. I don't need some weatherman telling me what to be scared of or not. Because as we all know, weathermen rarely correctly predict the tomorrow's weather; so why should I trust them on radiation?Greg DiamondLos Angeles

Susansmith

In comparing the radiation levels to an international air flight, what I don't understand is a flight could be 12 hours and our exposure could be weeks. Are they comparing that 12 hour flight to 12 hours of radiation exposure we get here or are they comparing the flight to the total amount of radiation we will be exposed to over the next few weeks?

NikhilChaundry

@John Saenz Exactly what I've been saying! The media, for anyone with half a brain, in fact is doing a great ion terrifying me and other due to it's HAL from 2001-esque explanation of radiation really being normal, in fact. That the radiation in Japan is only as much as a stomach xray, and that is very safe. Hhmmmm, I wonder why the xray techs stand behind lead walls then........

John Saenz

Around Fukushima Daiichi Station they measured 400 millisieverts – that’s per hour. With this measurement (Chief Cabinet Secretary) Edano admitted for the first time that there was a danger to health, but he didn’t explain what this means. All of the information media are at fault here I think. They are saying stupid things like, why, we are exposed to radiation all the time in our daily life, we get radiation from outer space. But that’s one millisievert per year. A year has 365 days, a day has 24 hours; multiply 365 by 24, you get 8760. Multiply the 400 millisieverts by that, you get 3,500,000 the normal dose. You call that safe? And what media have reported this?

NikhilChaundry

All the media have been reporting a dose that while exposed for a few hours might be safe, but exposure for a whole year would be deadly-they are trying to control public opinion