Low Radiation Levels in PA Rain Water

Radioactive material from Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant has traveled around the world, and been detected in Pennsylvania rainwater.

State and federal officials insist the low levels of Iodine-131 don’t pose a public health threat, but nevertheless, Department of Environmental Protection inspectors spent the weekend testing drinking water. “Public water samples were taken from facilities in Norristown, East Straudsburg, Harrisburg, Williamsport, Greenville and Pittsburgh,” said Governor Corbett at a Capitol press conference. “After repeated testing throughout the weekend, results were within normal levels, in the single digits, and below the federal level. The bottom line is our public drinking water is safe.”

The radioactive element was discovered in Massachusetts, California and Washington rainwater, as well. In Pennsylvania, the Iodine-131 was 25 times below the federally-set “level of concern.” “Taking potassium iodide is absolutely unnecessary under these circumstances, and could cause harmful side effects,” Corbett said. “Although usually harmless, it can present a danger to people with allergies to iodine or shellfish, or those who have thyroid problems.” Pharmacies across the country have reported increased sales of the emergency pills since Japan’s nuclear crisis began.

An Environmental Protection Agency statement on the rainwater test reads, “While short-term elevations such as these do not raise public health concerns – and the levels seen in rainwater are expected to be relatively short in duration – the U.S. EPA has taken steps to increase the level of nationwide monitoring of precipitation, drinking water, and other potential exposure routes to continue to verify that. EPA’s only recommendation to state and local governments is to continue to coordinate closely with EPA, CDC and FDA – EPA will continue to communicate our nationwide sampling results as they come in.” Corbett said the state will stay in contact with the EPA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and other federal agencies, as water tests continue.

Corbett noted the radiation announcement came on the 32nd anniversary of Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island nuclear accident. “The lessons we learned from that incident and the safeguards that were installed, including constant monitoring, have made us better prepared for situations like this,” he said.

Pitt Hosts Discussion On Nuclear Dangers in Japan

In the wake of the nuclear emergency at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi power plant following last week's earthquake and tsunami, a panel of nuclear and structural engineers this evening will discuss the condition of the Japanese power plant as well as the state of America’s power plants.

John Metzger, director of the Nuclear Engineering Department at Pitt which is hosting the event, says the purpose is to help inform and encourage discussion about the safety of nuclear power. He says the event will open with an explanation and proceed to a panel of three men who work in the field of nuclear technology.

Metzger wants to promote the idea that nuclear technology is one of the safest industries in the world, and that no one could plan for a disaster of last week’s magnitude. Metzger says America’s nuclear facilities are considered “disaster proof” for things like earthquakes and hurricanes.

“The plants in the United States, not only are the plants themselves designed that way, but the people like Westinghouse and GE, this is all integrated into their design and it’s something that the [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] polices and the industry itself polices,” Metzger says.

Metzger says you can’t judge a nuclear incident very harshly when the disaster that caused it was unfathomable.

“I think that the bottom line is that this incident has to be taken in context to the disaster but I also want to emphasize that the culture of safety in the nuclear industry I believe the nuclear industry will learn from this and there will be some modifications accordingly.”

The panel discussion will be held this evening at 6:15 in Pitt’s Benedum Hall, Room 157. Panelists include structural engineer, Kent Harries; reactor operator at the Beaver Valley Power Station, David Haser; and a member of Westinghouse Electric's operations department, David Helling. All three are adjunct professors at the University.