The Treatment
and Release of ALPS Treated Water
From Nuclear Reactors to the Sea
Following the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident in March 2011, the amount of water used for cooling both the reactors and the fuel debris has steadily built up, and more than 1.3 million tons is now stored at the site. It is being treated and purified with a specially designed system, ALPS, to reduce radionuclides below regulation levels. That water will be further diluted and then discharged into the sea over a period of decades, beginning in 2023.
This infographic will explain the purification and release process, clearly outlining the main points and answering key questions.
Post-Accident #1
Huge amounts of water needed to cool both the reactors and fuel debris after the meltdowns
Why is there
so much
stored water?
How is the
water purified?
Initial filtration of cesium and strontium
Post-accident #2
Groundwater and rainwater seeped into
reactor buildings, also needed to be
stored and purified
Why does the
water need to
be purified?
Water used in reactors absorbs
radioactive materials –
radionuclides
Repeated filtering
extracts almost all the 62
radionuclides, leaving only tritium in significant
quantities
What is tritium?
Tritium is chemically close to hydrogen and very difficult to separate from water
Tritium exists naturally and is found in
rainwater, sea water, and tap water and inside the human body
Tritium is a weak radiation source. After the final dilution, treated water has less than 1/40th of tritium level permitted under
national guidelines
RADIOACTIVITY LEVEL IN EVERYDAY LIFE
0.48 mSv
ATMOSPHERE
0.1 mSv
AIR TRAVEL
(20 hour flight)
0.99 mSv
FOOD
0.06 mSv
CHEST X-RAY
Average annual radiation exposure
worldwide is 2.4 millisievert (mSv)
RADIOACTIVITY LEVEL IN ALPS TREATED WATER
Human exposure to ALPS treated water estimated at maximum of 0.00003 mSv per year, or 1/80000th of yearly world average of 2.4 mSv
Exposure dose to nearby wildlife
estimated at maximum of 1/50,000th to 1/500,000th of guideline levels of International Commission on
Radiological Protection (ICRP)
What precautions are being taken for the release of the water?
Before release, ALPS treated water measured again to confirm
radioactivity levels
Before release, ALPS treated water measured again to confirm
radioactivity levels
Pumped through approximately 1km-long undersea tunnel into ocean gradually, over decades
Diluted with sea water
more than
tritium down to
100x
1/7th
the volume of
sea water
of WHO drinking water standard
IAEA and NRA involved in
monitoring and verifying entire release process
How is Japan’s
government providing information about the water release?
1,000+
50
ALPS
briefings
7
explanations
reviews/visits
press briefings
tours
for countries
to stakeholders in local agriculture, forestry, fishery, as well as
consumers and local government
on ALPS treated water
for domestic and
foreign media
with particular
concerns, such as
Pacific Island nations
by IAEA
including cesium, iodine-129,
strontium-90 and tritium
60+
RADIONUCLIDES
Cesium and particularly
strontium are most hazardous
ALPS
(Multi-nuclide removal facility)
Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) uses multi-nuclide removal equipment
IAEA
NRA
The International Atomic Energy Agency is the world's central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical co-operation in the nuclear field.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority is an
administrative body of the Cabinet of Japan established to ensure nuclear safety in Japan as part of the Ministry of the Environment.
The Reuters news staff had no role in the production of this content. It was created by Reuters Plus, the brand marketing studio of Reuters.
Produced by Reuters Plus for
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Disclaimer: The Reuters news staff had no role in the production of this content. It was created by Reuters Plus, the brand marketing studio of Reuters. To work with Reuters Plus, contact us here.
A millisievert (mSv) is a unit used to measure the amount of radiation absorbed by the body. A thousand millisieverts equals one sievert, a level deemed unhealthy if received in a single dose.
0.00003
mSv
ALPS TREATED WATER
Why does the
water need to
be purified?
Water used in reactors absorbs
radioactive materials –
radionuclides
60+
RADIONUCLIDES
including cesium, iodine-129,
strontium-90 and tritium
ALPS
(Multi-nuclide removal facility)
Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) uses multi-nuclide removal equipment
Repeated filtering
extracts almost all the 62
radionuclides, leaving only tritium in significant
quantities
What is tritium?
Tritium is chemically close to hydrogen and very difficult to separate from water
Tritium exists naturally and is found in
rainwater, sea water, and tap water and inside the human body
Tritium is a weak radiation source. After the final dilution, treated water has less than 1/40th of tritium level permitted under
national guidelines
RADIOACTIVITY LEVEL IN EVERYDAY LIFE
0.48 mSv
ATMOSPHERE
0.1 mSv
AIR TRAVEL
(20 hour flight)
0.06 mSv
CHEST X-RAY
0.99 mSv
FOOD
Average annual radiation exposure
worldwide is 2.4 millisievert (mSv)
A millisievert (mSv) is a unit used to measure the amount of radiation absorbed by the body. A thousand millisieverts equals one sievert, a level deemed unhealthy if received in a single dose.
RADIOACTIVITY LEVEL IN ALPS TREATED WATER
0.00003
mSv
ALPS TREATED WATER
Human exposure to ALPS treated water estimated at maximum of 0.00003 mSv per year, or 1/80000th of yearly world average of 2.4 mSv
Exposure dose to nearby wildlife
estimated at maximum of 1/50,000th to 1/500,000th of guideline levels of International Commission on
Radiological Protection (ICRP)
What precautions are being taken for the release of the water?
Before release, ALPS treated water measured again to confirm
radioactivity levels
Diluted with sea water
more than
100x
the volume of
sea water
the volume of
sea water
tritium down to
1/7th
Pumped through
approximately 1km-long undersea tunnel into ocean gradually, over decades
IAEA and NRA involved in monitoring and verifying entire release process
IAEA
The International Atomic Energy Agency is the world's central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical co-operation in the nuclear field.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority is an
administrative body of the Cabinet of Japan established to ensure nuclear safety in Japan as part of the Ministry of the Environment.
NRA
How is Japan’s
government providing information about the water release?
1,000+
explanations
50
press briefings
ALPS
tours
Briefings
for countries
to stakeholders in local agriculture, forestry, fishery, as well as
consumers and local government
on ALPS treated water
for domestic and foreign media
with particular
concerns, such as
Pacific Island nations
by IAEA
7
reviews/visits
All statistics provided by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan
All statistics provided by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan
Disclaimer: The Reuters news staff had no role in the production of this content. It was created by Reuters Plus, the brand marketing studio of Reuters. To work with Reuters Plus, contact us here.
The Reuters news staff had no role in the production of this content. It was created by Reuters Plus, the brand marketing studio of Reuters.
Produced by Reuters Plus for
