3rd release of treated water from Japan’s damaged Fukushima nuclear plant ends safely, operator says

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — The operator of Japan’s damaged Fukushima nuclear plant says the release of a third batch of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean has ended safely as planned. Japan’s seafood producers are continuing to suffer from a Chinese import ban imposed after the discharges began. Large amounts of radioactive wastewater have accumulated at the nuclear plant since it was damaged by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011. It began discharging treated and diluted wastewater into the ocean on Aug. 24 and finished releasing the third 7,800-ton batch on Monday. The process is expected to take decades. The discharges have been strongly opposed by fishing groups and neighboring countries including China, which has banned all imports of Japanese seafood.