China: Quake-Damaged Nuke Sites Are Safe

Authorities Release New Info Saying 32 Radiation Sources Were Damaged In Disaster

(AP)  More than 30 sources of radiation were buried by debris from the massive earthquake in central China last week, but all have either been recovered or safely cordoned off, state media reported Tuesday.

The Chinese government had previously said all nuclear facilities affected by the May 12 earthquake were safe and under control, but did not give any details about which sites were affected or whether any were damaged.

But the quake buried 32 sources of radiation under rubble in Sichuan province, the heart of the disaster zone, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing Minister of Environmental Protection Zhou Shengxian.

All but two sources have been recovered, and the remaining two have been located, cordoned off and will soon be transported to a safer location, Xinhua said.

Xinhua did not elaborate on any potential threat to the public and did not provide details on the radioactive sources beyond calling them "nuclear facilities and radioactive sources for civilian purposes."

Thierry Charles, an official at a French nuclear watchdog who has seen reports from the Chinese nuclear safety agency, said materials found in the rubble appeared to come from hospitals, factories or laboratories and were not used for making nuclear fuel or weapons.

Though Sichuan has no commercial nuclear power plants, the province has extensive military and nuclear weapons research facilities. The headquarters for China's nuclear weapons design facility is in Mianyang and a plutonium processing facility is in Guangyuan, both cities damaged by the quake.

Hans Kristensen, a nuclear arms expert at the Federation of American Scientists, was skeptical about the Chinese government's blanket statement that all nuclear facilities were safe, questioning why no information was released on specific nuclear weapons plants.

"I find it hard to believe, given the widespread destruction in this region, that the military plants that have nuclear materials somehow escaped (the disaster's) reach," he said.

In response to the quake, the military sent soldiers to protect nuclear sites and the country's nuclear safety agency notified staff to be prepared in case of an environmental emergency.

China's main government Web site and a state-run newspaper described "nuclear facilities" and "radioactive sources" as including power plants, reactors, and sites for fuel production and waste disposal, as well as materials used for scientific research and medical treatment.

"It doesn't shock me that there would be radioactive items found," particularly hospital equipment, said Charles, director of plant safety at the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety.

An unknown number of hospitals were damaged or destroyed in the earthquake. The Sichuan province health department listed 489 major hospitals in areas that were hardest hit.

Kristensen said if the buried radioactive materials can be isolated and sealed quickly, there should be no risk to the public.

Workers removing radioactive material would first find it with detection devices, then extract the material and place it in a sealed container quickly, Charles said. Then it would be repaired or disposed of as nuclear waste.

Information so far suggests "a good reaction by the Chinese teams," Charles said.

However, he said risks remain, primarily from any materials that have not been retrieved or sealed. People who remain in close proximity could receive excessive doses of radiation.

He said there was also a risk people could be exposed to radioactivity if some materials were crushed, for example in a building collapse.

Overall, he did not foresee a major risk to groundwater or health because most of the material was probably metal equipment, not fuel or something that disperses more widely.

The French watchdog agency has previously said that China reported "light damage" to unspecified nuclear facilities that were being dismantled before the quake.

[beehive21-2009]

Safe like a polar bear.

[hypnotoad72]

And how are EARTHQUAKES a result of "global warming"? While I don''t disbelieve some of what has been said regarding climate change, cows passing gas and excessive tree cutting can''t have much en impact on tectonic plates.

[hypnotoad72]

Never mind the people so long as the Nuclear weapons are safe!!!!

Posted by Xalen54
---------------

Dude. If the nuke plants are damaged, people WON''T be safe!

There is a valid middle ground, here.

[herewego78]

Earthquakes, hurricanes and cyclones (same thing, by the way, different ocean) along with other natural disasters are NOT caused by so-called "global warming." That notion is ridiculous. "Global warming" is ridiculous. Carbon is good for the environment. Natural disasters always have, and always will, occur. That''s part of why they''re called "natural" disasters. Just like the "New Ice Age" in the ''70''s, acid rain, rain forests..."global warming" is just another movement to make people and governments money, i.e. carbon credits/taxes. Go ahead and call me obscene terrible names like lefties always do, but science is proving more and more that this whole movement is just a hoax. "Mother Earth" will be just fine, just like it always has been, for millions upon millions of years. Amen!

[xalen54]

Never mind the people so long as the Nuclear weapons are safe!!!!

[prinzowhales]

I bet those sites are just as safe as the heparin and children''s toys they sell us.

[stn_sage]

...I wouldn''''t want any harm to come to them. Yeah...right!
Posted by leftyintexas at 11:58 PM : May 20, 2008
-----------
My response: You don''t need to worry about that, lefty! The figures in another article I''ve seen, state the estimated dead at 40,000, with another 32,000 missing---who are probably dead. And judging by the total lack of regulation of most enterprises there, if they don''t run their nuclear facilities much better than Homer Simpson''s boss, there will be additional millions killed via contaminated water & soil contact! OOPS!

[leftyintexas]

Gee, I''m so happy their nuclear sites are safe and sound. I wouldn''t want any harm to come to them. Yeah...right!

[stn_sage]

I%u2019m appalled at the administration%u2019s lack of response to the global warming earthquakes, hurricanes, and cyclones as well....
We need action now.
Posted by AL2008 at 02:57 PM : May 20, 2008
----------------
My response: I couldn''t agree with you more. But producing results to meet this challenge---for this administration---is like the sky over an anthill!
Forget it! It isn''t going to happen!

First, they don''t have the brainpower. And second, they simply don''t want to! They''re too busy ''making a buck'' off tragedy, death, and destruction! They raise themselves on the backs of the people''s lives that they destroy!

Finally, I don''t think most of these Reps believe in God---or, they wouldn''t do the things they do! But, they better hope there isn''t a God, because if there IS, they and their supporters, ARE IN BIG TROUBLE!

[al2008-2009]

I%u2019m appalled at the administration%u2019s lack of response to the global warming earthquakes, hurricanes, and cyclones as well. We have no comprehensive strategy in place whatsoever, let alone a detailed plan of action to mitigate the effects of these quakes and cyclones, and mother earth continues to suffer while the administration refuses to go forward and do what%u2019s right for mother earth.
.
How long must we sit idly by while our mother continues to suffer from the warming taking place at a feverish pace? How long must our mother suffer before we have proper c02 taxes put into place? How long must the destruction of mother earth take place before we finally put responsible regulations into effect? How long must we wait until we beef up our corn ethanol production? At least Obama wants to cut c02 pollution by 80%; he is definitely our best hope.
.
We the people call upon our leaders to implement a comprehensive antiglobal warming strategy at once and work in coordination with state and federal officials; these quakes, cyclones and disasters continue to worsen and the quicker we stop the warming the sooner we will see these quakes and storms cease. We need action now.