The Fukushima nuclear plant was destroyed in a tsunami in March 2011. Since then, the contaminated water has been processed to reduce radioactivity and stored in huge tanks on the site. The liquid includes not only the water from the cooling pipes but also groundwater and rain daily seeping into the plant. Spare storage capacity has almost run out, which forces Japan’s government to decide on what to do with the wastewater.
Some scientists say that the radioactive water will soon be diluted in the Pacific Ocean, and the only isotope that cannot be removed from the treated water will pose a low risk to humans and animals. However, fishing and environmental groups still have a lot of concern and strongly oppose directly releasing the contaminated water into the ocean.
友善讓你懂｜解說：
2011的日本311大地震摧毀了福島第一核電廠。從那時候開始，這裡的核污染廢水，都會先經過去除程序來降低輻射含量，而後儲存在核電廠內的巨大儲存槽裡。除了冷卻降溫的用水之外，每天不斷滲入的地下水以及雨水也屬於受污染的廢水。近來，儲存核污染廢水的空間已經快要用罄，導致日本政府亟需儘快決定接下來該如何處理這些廢水。
其實，核電廠廢水在經過處理且符合標準規定後，排入海洋是常見的作法。有些科學家也表示，這些輻射汙染水排入海水後，會迅速被廣大的太平洋所稀釋，而在這些「處理水」中僅存尚未被去除的同位素「氚」，其實人體可以自然代謝掉，因此對人類和動物帶來的危害並不大。不過，漁業及環保團體則仍抱持很大疑慮，且強烈反對直接將核污染廢水排入海洋中。
輕鬆帶著走｜學習：
例句：
Parents’ ignorance poses a serious risk to newborn babies.
父母疏於照顧會對新生兒帶來巨大的危險。
本篇其他相關單字，介紹如下：