nuclear safety

Counties in the United States closest to operating nuclear power plants have higher cancer mortality rates than those further away, according to a new study led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published in Nature Communications. Using data from 2000 to 2018, they assessed spatial patterns of cancer mortality in relation to proximity to nuclear facilities, taking into account socioeconomic, environmental, and health factors. Cancer mortality was higher in both men and women, with the strongest associations among men aged 65 to 74 and women aged 55 to 64. The findings do not imply causality.

On Thursday 24 August, Japan will begin discharging treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, the Japanese government announced. The water has been treated to reduce its radioactivity. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has indicated that, as stated in a report they published last month on this process, "that the approach and activities for this discharge are consistent with relevant international safety standards and would have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment". 

This week, Japan began testing a new facility designed to discharge treated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific. The water has been used to cool the melted reactor. After filling more than 1,000 tanks, the storage should reach full capacity early next year.

A study has analyzed the genetics of 302 dogs living in areas close to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. According to the study, they show genetic differences according to the distance they live from the plant, which distinguish them from other dog populations. The results are published in the journal Science Advances.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he is suspending Russia's participation in the New START treaty, a bilateral agreement signed with the United States that has been in force since 2011 and that limits and controls the nuclear armament of both powers.