Why are radioactivity in food safety standards in Japan up to 100 times more protective of consumers than they are in the UK?

Allan Dorans MP on Ayr beach in his constituency. Pic: Gordon Terris/Newsquest

In the National, today, form the above SNP MP, Allan Dorans and extended and well-researched piece on the presence of radioactivity in seafood and larger mammals on the Ayrshire coast, resulting from leaks in the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plan in Cumbria, just down the coast and subject to tidal flows.

Here’s the chunk that most made me think:

In 2016, researchers at Glasgow University reported ‘enhanced’ radioactivity levels, in shellfish catches, at a number of coastal locations in Cumbria, near the Sellafield plant, and on the west coast of Scotland, including the village of Maidens, in my Ayrshire constituency.[i]

The level of contamination, 348 Becquels per Kg, found at Maidens is lower than the ‘safe’ level of 1 000 Bq/Kg set for the UK, in 1986 after the Chernobyl event. [ii]

However, in Japan the government sets a level of only 100 Bq/kg as a safe maximum for food, far less than the level found at Maidens. Seafood consumption is of course, more common in Japan than in Scotland but there will still be some in my constituency put at risk by this contamination.[iii]

https://www.thenational.scot/politics/24044322.allan-dorans-scottish-labours-support-nuclear-fuel-poses-risk/

I think I have the sources, below.

The safe level in water is only 10Bq/kg, 50 in milk and 50 in baby foods. It’s 1 000 in the UK.

The article does not mention who the Labour candidates in the area. Here’s one:

On X, Gemmell describes himself as a ‘proud GMB member.’

The GMB, of course, is the home for nuclear fuel workers.

[i] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265931X15301454

[ii] https://www.reading.ac.uk/foodlaw/news/uk-09047.htm

[iii] https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/site/portal-english/en01-03.html

10 thoughts on “Why are radioactivity in food safety standards in Japan up to 100 times more protective of consumers than they are in the UK?”

  2. Japan the longest life expectancy. 85. Safe diet of fish & vegetable. Higher standards.

    Lessons learn at Fukushima. Still discharging nuclear contamination into the sea.

    Nuclear causing cancer and other health problems. A danger to health. There is already a great risk in Scotland granite land formation. Nuclear waste dumped by UK Gov without authority.

    UK Gov gross negligence dumping nuclear sub base at Faslane. Rotting, contaminated subs dumped at Rosyth. Scotland is paying to be poisoned and put at risk by the UK Gov. Toxic.

    The GMB is culpable of killing its members. Funding illegal wars, Westminster fraud,, tax evasion. Lower life expectancy. Austerity. GMB favours austerity for its members. Trade unions collude with the employers against members rights. Funding the Labour Party.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Also Japan’s nuclear waste is sent to,guess where,for reprocessing so it leaks into the Irish Sea instead of the Sea of Japan.
      Much safer from a Japanese perspective.

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      Reply
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