Japanese Nuclear Power Plant Information
This page was prepared in response to public questions regarding potential air quality impacts from the damaged nuclear power plants in Japan, following the earthquake and flooding of March 2011.
The Air District is a member of the EPA’s RadNet radiation monitoring program which monitors for radiation here in the Bay Area and across the nation. The monitoring instruments are extremely sensitive and can identify very small changes in ambient air levels.
To date, all measurements in the Bay Area are within normal background levels. The U.S. EPA and the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission have indicated that there are no harmful levels of radiation expected to reach the United States.
View Air District press release from March 17.
RadNet is a national network of monitoring stations that regularly collect air, precipitation, drinking water and milk samples for analysis of radioactivity. The RadNet network has been used to track environmental releases of radioactivity from nuclear weapons tests and nuclear accidents.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the best source for ongoing information regarding the status of the Japanese power plants and radiation information.
The California Department of Public Health is urging the public not to take potassium iodide tablets. For more information please see the statement from CDPH. The CDPH also has a useful set of FAQs concerning radiation from the Japanese nuclear plants.
At the state level, the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) has invited the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association, the California Air Resources Board, the U.S. EPA Region IX, the CDPH, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the California Emergency Management Agency, the California Conference of Local Health Officers, and the California Conference of Directors of Environmental Health to participate in a multi-agency team monitoring the radiation levels detected in California. CalEPA has established this team to manage the data coming in regarding radiological monitoring and modeling and to provide information regarding the impact on public health.
www.epa.gov/radiation
www.arb.ca.gov/carpa/carpa.htm
Key Information on the Japanese Nuclear Power Plant
- The Bay Area Air District operates a radiation monitor on the roof of our building.
- This monitor is part of the EPA’s RadNet network.
- The monitor can measure slight changes in radiation levels on a continuous basis.
- The EPA’s RadNet monitor at the Air District is showing normal background radiation measurements.
- The Air District is continually monitoring air quality data in the Bay Area.
- We continue to watch other monitoring sites throughout the West Coast, and we see no change in radiation levels different from normal background measurements.
- The Bay Area Air District agrees with the US EPA, California Department of Public Health and federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission that because of the distance, we do not expect radiation levels that would cause health affects or cause for concern in the Bay Area and California.
- We don’t believe radiation occurring locally in Japan will reach a level of concern for our residents.
- In order for radiation levels to travel to the US and be a potential hazard, the nuclear fuel or its radioactive byproducts would need to reach a mile into the atmosphere and be transported across the Pacific Ocean.
- Any material that was able to reach the jet stream would disperse over the ocean
- Even if that were to occur, it would likely be significantly less than daily background radiation from natural and man-made sources—like the sun, air, soil, medical imaging, and life-saving therapies.
- Any Japanese radiation would be diluted by distance, time, and weather. Rain removes radiation from the atmosphere.
- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is the best source for ongoing information regarding the status of the Japanese power plants and radiation information.
- Japan’s nuclear emergency does not and is not expected to present a danger to California.
- Federal, state and local partners such as the Bay Area Air District are monitoring the situation. If circumstances change, officials will alert the public.