Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUnifeed
IAEA / JAPAN UPDATE
STORY: IAEA / JAPAN UPDATE
TRT: 1.41
SOURCE: IAEA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 23 MARCH 2011, VIENNA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, VIENNA, AUSTRIA/ FILE
FILE – RECENT, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
1. Wide shot, IAEA Headquarters
23 MARCH 2011, VIENNA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, VIENNA, AUSTRIA
2. Wide shot, conference room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Graham Andrew, Special Adviser to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General on Scientific and Technical Affairs:
“There are some positive developments related to the availability of electrical power to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants, although the overall situation remains of serious concern. AC power is now available at units 1, 2 and 4. Power has been restored to some instrumentation in all units except unit 3.”
4. Med shot, delegates
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Graham Andrew, Special Adviser to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General on Scientific and Technical Affairs:
“Since yesterday the IAEA has received further information from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare regarding the presence of radioactivity in milk, drinking water and vegetables. The results of some samples were above the limits specified in Japanese regulations concerning limits for food and water ingestion. In Fukushima prefecture six raw milk samples and in Ibaraki prefecture three spinach samples showed concentrations of iodine in excess of limits.”
6. Med shot, journalists
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Graham Andrew, Special Adviser to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General on Scientific and Technical Affairs:
“The Tokyo Metropolitan Water office has stated that levels of Iodine 131 in tap water at the purification plant were found to be above the concentration level for drinking water for infants, but below the level for adults. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has requested that tap water in Tokyo is not used as drinking water for infants.”
8. Wide shot, delegates
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) offered its daily briefing today (23 March) at agency headquarters in Vienna on the Japanese nuclear crisis stemming from the 12 March earthquake and subsequent Tsunami.
Special Adviser on Scientific and Technical Affairs Graham Andrew noted that “although the overall situation remains of serious concern” there were some positive developments related to the availability of electrical power to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants.
He said that AC power is now available at units 1, 2 and 4 and power has been restored to some instrumentation in all units except unit 3.
SOUNDBITE (English) Graham Andrew, Special Adviser to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General on Scientific and Technical Affairs:
“There are some positive developments related to the availability of electrical power to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants, although the overall situation remains of serious concern. AC power is now available at units 1, 2 and 4. Power has been restored to some instrumentation in all units except unit 3.”
Andrew informed that according to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, radioactivity from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi power plant has been detected in some vegetables and milk, with radioactive iodine present in concentrations above Japanese regulatory limits and caesium showing up at lower concentrations.
SOUNDBITE (English) Graham Andrew, Special Adviser to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General on Scientific and Technical Affairs:
“Since yesterday the IAEA has received further information from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare regarding the presence of radioactivity in milk, drinking water and vegetables. The results of some samples were above the limits specified in Japanese regulations concerning limits for food and water ingestion. In Fukushima prefecture six raw milk samples and in Ibaraki prefecture three spinach samples showed concentrations of iodine in excess of limits.”
Radioactive iodine, the main contaminant detected so far, can accumulate in the body, if ingested, particularly the thyroid gland, increasing the risk of thyroid cancer, particularly in children. But it has a half-life of eight days and decays naturally within weeks. Taking potassium iodide is an established method to prevent the accumulation of radioactive iodine in the thyroid.
In Tokyo, Andrew reported that concentration levels of Iodine 131 in tap water have surpassed the limits acceptable for consumption by infants
SOUNDBITE (English) Graham Andrew, Special Adviser to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General on Scientific and Technical Affairs:
“The Tokyo Metropolitan Water office has stated that levels of Iodine 131 in tap water at the purification plant were found to be above the concentration level for drinking water for infants, but below the level for adults. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has requested that tap water in Tokyo is not used as drinking water for infants.”
In joint documents issued in response to growing international concerns over the safety of food produced in Japan, the IAEA, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) said that while some foods produced in Japan are likely to be contaminated by radio nuclides at levels unsuitable for human consumption, there is no evidence food has been contaminated in any other country.
The agencies advise that people avoid the following longer-term actions in areas confirmed to be seriously contaminated: consuming locally produced milk or vegetables; slaughtering animals; consuming and harvesting aquatic animals and plants, including fish, shellfish, and algae; hunting; and gathering mushrooms or other wild or collected foods.
Download
There is no media available to download.
