Fukushima: Japan takes all necessary precautions ahead of plans to discharge treated water

11 years after the Fukushima disaster, Japan is facing a new challenge: the discharge of treated water into the sea. Since the tsunami of 11 March 2011, Japan has been continuing the decommissioning and the decontamination of the site, which should last 30 to 40 years. 

But today the priority, explains one official of TEPCO, the operator of the plant, is water. 

"The water that accumulates every day has been used to cool the molten fuel. And there is also water from underground springs or rainfall that accumulates", explained TEPCO's Kimoto Takahiro. 

The contaminated water is treated in ALPS, the unit that removes virtually all radioactive substances. But the storage tanks have reached their maximum capacity, meaning they have to be emptied into the sea.

However, one radioactive substance remains in small quantities: tritium, which is inseparable from the water.

After a new treatment, the water will be released into the sea through a tunnel, which is one kilometer long and built at a depth of 16 meters. It will be completed in the spring.

In the plant, fish are raised to analyse the impact on marine fauna. Opponents say tritium from a nuclear accident is more dangerous. But Jean-Cristophe Gariel, Deputy Director of the Institute of Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety told Euronews that that isn't true.

"Tritium is a radioactive element with a low hazard", explained the French scientist. "The characteristics of tritium that will be released at Fukushima are similar to the characteristics of those released from nuclear power plants around the world."

Nevertheless, the first concerned -- the fishermen of Fukushima -- are worried about the reputation of their products.

“What worries us the most is the negative reputation this