Japan Radiation Found in Milk Sample; U.S. Steps Up Monitoring

M3Bahn · 03-31-2011, 02:57 AM

Radiation “far below” levels that pose a risk to humans was found in milk from California and Washington, the first signs Japan’s nuclear accident is affecting U.S. food, state and Obama administration officials said.

The U.S. is stepping up monitoring of radiation in milk, rain and drinking water, the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration said yesterday in a statement.

Radioactive iodine-131 was found in a March 25 milk sample from Spokane that is more than 5,000 times lower than risk levels set by the FDA, according to the agencies. The agencies said the amount was “far below levels of public health concern,” including for infants and children.

“Radiation is all around us in our daily lives, and these findings are a minuscule amount compared to what people experience every day,” Patricia Hansen, an FDA senior scientist, said in the statement.

Officials in California, the biggest milk-producing state, detected trace amounts of radioactive iodine-131 in a milk sample collected March 28, the state department of public health said. The reading was was also 5,000 times below the risk levels, department spokesman Mike Sicilia said in a telephone interview yesterday.

The U.S. is tracking radiation from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power station, which was crippled by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that knocked out power needed to keep nuclear fuel rods cool and undamaged.

‘Very, Very Low’

The amount of iodine-131 in the Washington milk was 0.8 picocurie per liter, according to the agencies. A picocurie is one-trillionth of a curie, a measurement of a radiological dose. Similar findings are likely in the coming days, the agencies said.

Ira Helfand, a director of Physicians for Social Responsibility, said the amount found in the milk is “very, very low” and wouldn’t require anyone drinking it to take potassium iodine pills, an antidote to prevent thyroid damage in the event of dangerous exposure.

While any exposure “raises the risk of getting cancer,” the levels reported in Spokane pose “very, very, very low health consequences” Helfand said in a telephone interview from Springfield, Massachusetts.

“I’m much more worried about the situation for people in Japan,” he said.

Tainted Products

Japanese government officials asked farmers to keep cows and cattle in barns as radioactive contamination of milk spread from Fukushima prefecture, north of Tokyo. Japan restricted raw- milk shipments from Fukushima and neighboring Ibaraki prefecture after tainted products were found in random testing.

As many as 99 products, including milk and vegetables such as spinach, were found contaminated in Tokyo and five regions to its north and east as of March 26, according to a statement on the Japanese health ministry’s website.

In the U.S., elevated levels of radioactive material in rainwater were reported in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, according to the EPA. Radiation levels have been “very low,” pose no health concern and were to be expected, according to the agency’s website.

The EPA said it’s reviewing the data from both states. The levels are above normal background amounts reported for the areas, according to the agency.

Iodine-131 has a half-life of eight days, and the level found in milk and dairy products is “expected to drop relatively quickly,” the agencies said.

Hansen said the radiation in Spokane is tiny compared with levels a person receives watching television or taking a round trip cross-country flight.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-0...ationwide.html

Blake · 03-31-2011, 03:10 AM

again, god hates california

ghosthi32 · 03-31-2011, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blake

again, god hates california

NYCGP · 03-31-2011, 08:16 AM

If god hates California.... Am I god?

gonzo · 03-31-2011, 08:50 AM

Sort of off topic.

If you get the chance to watch "Japan's Killer Quake" do so.
It was on PBS/NOVA last night and while sad and depressing it was also very well done and educational.

Tokyo has a bullseye on it from what these fellas said because of the pressure this recent event placed on the plate.

I would be a bit twitchy if I lived on the Washington or Oregon coastal region. Seattle looks like a big mess if and when the next big one cracks on that plate.

I give this to the people of Japan. They are some calm people even in the eye of disaster. If only Americans could learn a thing or two about togetherness...doubtful.

2000gsr · 03-31-2011, 09:16 AM

If all this can happen from a nuclear plant leaking some radiation, what would happen if some nuke went off somewhere in the world?

M3Bahn · 03-31-2011, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2000gsr

If all this can happen from a nuclear plant leaking some radiation, what would happen if some nuke went off somewhere in the world?

Good question, link below answers it pretty well.
Problem with Japans current situation is that not only are the reactors leaking radiation but they unbelievably stored tons of spent fuel rods above reactors.
http://www.infowars.com/alert-fukush...lown-sky-high/

If nuclear fallout lasts thousands of years, how did Hiroshima and Nagasaki recover so quickly?

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...ver-so-quickly

kyleb350 · 03-31-2011, 10:07 AM

So Bloomberg is saying we should panic but not really since the milk sample's radiaiton level is 5,000 times lower than levels which we should be concerned about.

M3Bahn · 03-31-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyleb350

So Bloomberg is saying we should panic but not really since the milk sample's radiaiton level is 5,000 times lower than levels which we should be concerned about.

Well, remember what obama said.

Yeah it's dissipating, right into our milk and rain water

Obama: Experts say Japan radiation will not reach U.S.

President Obama told a Pittsburgh television station today he is not worried about radiation from the damaged Japanese nuclear plant reaching the United States -- "no, I'm deeply worried about radiation effects in Japan."

Obama told KDKA-TV of Pittsburgh that experts have assured him that a nuclear release from Japan will dissipate by the time it gets to Hawaii, much less the U.S. mainland.

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...ill-reach-us/1

Low-level radiation in Massachusetts rainwater
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...72R4MZ20110328

UncleWede · 04-01-2011, 12:10 PM

It's less than what you get from consuming any regular banana, carrot, or potato . . .

03-31-2011, 02:57 AM	#1
M3Bahn Lieutenant 329 Rep 483 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: ATL iTrader: (0)	Japan Radiation Found in Milk Sample; U.S. Steps Up Monitoring Radiation “far below” levels that pose a risk to humans was found in milk from California and Washington, the first signs Japan’s nuclear accident is affecting U.S. food, state and Obama administration officials said. The U.S. is stepping up monitoring of radiation in milk, rain and drinking water, the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration said yesterday in a statement. Radioactive iodine-131 was found in a March 25 milk sample from Spokane that is more than 5,000 times lower than risk levels set by the FDA, according to the agencies. The agencies said the amount was “far below levels of public health concern,” including for infants and children. “Radiation is all around us in our daily lives, and these findings are a minuscule amount compared to what people experience every day,” Patricia Hansen, an FDA senior scientist, said in the statement. Officials in California, the biggest milk-producing state, detected trace amounts of radioactive iodine-131 in a milk sample collected March 28, the state department of public health said. The reading was was also 5,000 times below the risk levels, department spokesman Mike Sicilia said in a telephone interview yesterday. The U.S. is tracking radiation from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power station, which was crippled by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that knocked out power needed to keep nuclear fuel rods cool and undamaged. ‘Very, Very Low’ The amount of iodine-131 in the Washington milk was 0.8 picocurie per liter, according to the agencies. A picocurie is one-trillionth of a curie, a measurement of a radiological dose. Similar findings are likely in the coming days, the agencies said. Ira Helfand, a director of Physicians for Social Responsibility, said the amount found in the milk is “very, very low” and wouldn’t require anyone drinking it to take potassium iodine pills, an antidote to prevent thyroid damage in the event of dangerous exposure. While any exposure “raises the risk of getting cancer,” the levels reported in Spokane pose “very, very, very low health consequences” Helfand said in a telephone interview from Springfield, Massachusetts. “I’m much more worried about the situation for people in Japan,” he said. Tainted Products Japanese government officials asked farmers to keep cows and cattle in barns as radioactive contamination of milk spread from Fukushima prefecture, north of Tokyo. Japan restricted raw- milk shipments from Fukushima and neighboring Ibaraki prefecture after tainted products were found in random testing. As many as 99 products, including milk and vegetables such as spinach, were found contaminated in Tokyo and five regions to its north and east as of March 26, according to a statement on the Japanese health ministry’s website. In the U.S., elevated levels of radioactive material in rainwater were reported in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, according to the EPA. Radiation levels have been “very low,” pose no health concern and were to be expected, according to the agency’s website. The EPA said it’s reviewing the data from both states. The levels are above normal background amounts reported for the areas, according to the agency. Iodine-131 has a half-life of eight days, and the level found in milk and dairy products is “expected to drop relatively quickly,” the agencies said. Hansen said the radiation in Spokane is tiny compared with levels a person receives watching television or taking a round trip cross-country flight. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-0...ationwide.html
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03-31-2011, 03:10 AM	#2
Blake Banned 795 Rep 4,647 Posts Drives: Chevy Aveo Join Date: May 2008 Location: Parent's Basement iTrader: (7)	again, god hates california
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03-31-2011, 08:16 AM	#4
NYCGP WTF are you looking at? 257 Rep 1,560 Posts Drives: Bandwagon Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Jungle iTrader: (0)	If god hates California.... Am I god? __________________ "It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not." -André Gide
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03-31-2011, 08:50 AM	#5
gonzo Lieutenant General 10318 Rep 14,445 Posts Drives: as many as possible Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: TeXXXas iTrader: (0)	Sort of off topic. If you get the chance to watch "Japan's Killer Quake" do so. It was on PBS/NOVA last night and while sad and depressing it was also very well done and educational. Tokyo has a bullseye on it from what these fellas said because of the pressure this recent event placed on the plate. I would be a bit twitchy if I lived on the Washington or Oregon coastal region. Seattle looks like a big mess if and when the next big one cracks on that plate. I give this to the people of Japan. They are some calm people even in the eye of disaster. If only Americans could learn a thing or two about togetherness...doubtful. __________________ Crazy Diamond
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03-31-2011, 09:16 AM	#6
2000gsr First Lieutenant 18 Rep 397 Posts Drives: 2018 M4 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Toronto, ON iTrader: (0)	If all this can happen from a nuclear plant leaking some radiation, what would happen if some nuke went off somewhere in the world?
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03-31-2011, 10:07 AM	#8
kyleb350 Brigadier General 429 Rep 4,709 Posts Drives: '21 X3MC Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milwaukee iTrader: (6)	So Bloomberg is saying we should panic but not really since the milk sample's radiaiton level is 5,000 times lower than levels which we should be concerned about.
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04-01-2011, 12:10 PM	#10
UncleWede Long Time Admirer, First Time Owner 18455 Rep 9,428 Posts Drives: G01 X3 M40i Dark Graphite Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oxnard, CA iTrader: (0)	It's less than what you get from consuming any regular banana, carrot, or potato . . .
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