Recently, a report in the British newspaper The Guardian brought our attention back to the Sellafield nuclear facility. This nuclear waste treatment plant, located off the coast of Cumbria, UK, has long been one of the largest nuclear waste treatment facilities in Europe, with 110,000 employees, carrying the collectivist care of Europe. However, a recently revealed official document reveals a shocking fact: the nuclear facility had already leaked back in 2019.
This leak has not only brought us back to the safety and management of the Sellafield nuclear facility, but has also re-raised our attention to the dangers of nuclear radiation. It is known that the leaked radioactive materials mainly include strontium-90 and cesium-137. Both substances have long half-lives, especially cesium-137, whose radiative effects may persist until 2050. This means that these harmful substances can have long-term effects on the environment and human health.
In fact, the Sellafield nuclear facility has had management and safety problems in recent years. Problems such as aging equipment and improper maintenance eventually lead to leakage accidents. Back in 2014, experts warned that if the equipment continued to age, a large-scale nuclear leak could occur. However, there was no full and formal assessment of this by British officials, which led to the eventual occurrence of the leak.
At the same time, Japan** is facing a similar problem. Since August 24, when the discharge of nuclear sewage officially began, more than 230,000 tons of nuclear sewage have flowed into the Pacific Ocean. Despite domestic and international opposition, Japan** and TEPCO are sticking to their emissions plans. However, during this period, employees at the Fukushima nuclear power plant were exposed to radiation from the nuclear wastewater, and equipment broke down frequently. The latest news is that a worker working on a waste furnace has a radioactive material contaminated his face.
These incidents remind us once again that the dangers of nuclear radiation cannot be ignored. Whether it is the leakage of the Sellafield nuclear facility in the United Kingdom or the discharge of nuclear sewage in Japan, it is a threat to the global environment and human health. The international community must strengthen regulation and cooperation to ensure that the safety and management of nuclear facilities are effectively guaranteed.
In addition, the public also has the responsibility to raise environmental awareness and safety awareness, and strengthen self-protection and supervision. Only when everyone is aware of their responsibilities and obligations can we jointly promote the development of global environmental protection.
Regrettably, however, these events have not received enough attention. Despite the warnings of experts and institutions, British officials did not conduct a full and formal assessment, leading to the leak. Similarly, Japan** has stuck to its emissions plan despite domestic and international opposition. These actions beg the question of whether these decision-makers are motivated by short-term economic gains, or whether they genuinely care about the environment and human health
We need more thinking and action on this issue. First, the international community should strengthen supervision and cooperation, and formulate stricter standards and norms to ensure that the safety and management of nuclear facilities are effectively guaranteed. Second, all countries should pay attention to the issue of environmental protection and sustainable development, actively promote the development and application of clean energy, and reduce dependence on nuclear energy and fossil energy. In addition, the public should also raise their awareness of environmental protection and safety, and strengthen self-protection and supervision. Only when everyone is aware of their responsibilities and obligations can we jointly promote the development of global environmental protection.
Finally, I hope that all countries** and international organizations will take these issues seriously and take practical and effective measures to protect our planet. At the same time, I also call on everyone to actively participate in the cause of environmental protection and jointly protect the earth we live on.