Additonal Update on Japan's Nuclear Situation- Friday 25th May

This excerpt was taken from a "Japan-US Discussion Forum" and is care of Mr. Peter Ennis. This should further put you at ease;

"The formulation by the writers/editors can easily convey the wrong impression. The plutonium oxide used in MOX is not pure plutonium, with nothing close to the toxicity of weapons-grade plutonium, and only marginally more dangerous than uranium oxide, the other key fuel component of MOX.And what about those "fires" and "explosions" that that could spread plutonium through the air? Extremely low probability under any circumstances, but even lower still with cooling procedures working, as they are at especially the storage pond for Unit 3, where pumps are now functioning. Under the worst of circumstances, experts estimate that the radiation exposure of people in the vicinity of the plant would increase by the equivalent of one CT scan, and would decline rapidly the further people are from the plant.BTW: Authorities have lifted the warning concerning tap water in Tokyo. And those three workers injured with radiation burns? They were hospitalized for precaution. They were exposed to 170 millisieverts of radiation, which is far below the 250 allowed for workers in an emergency in Japan (the same rule applies in the US), and below the 500 that the WHO says is the danger level for humans. That's not to take away from their heroic actions. But it should be clear that cold-blooded authorities are not dispatching these guys on near-certain death missions. Their exposure is being very closely monitored, and not one worker has experienced any symptoms of radiation sickness. Some day, an enterprising graduate student will research a paper on the accuracy of US media coverage of the troubles at the Fukushima plant, and I suspect the results will be quite a black market on the profession."

Let's pray the affected in Tohoku get some warmer weather and good hot food over this coming weekend.