Japan's Nuclear Disaster: Worries of Long-term Radiation Effects - Essay Sample

Introduction

As workers in Japan strive to contain the damage of nuclear radiation, residents are becoming worried about the health issues linked with radiation from various nuclear plants in the country. Based on the previous events that involved radiation, the consequences of disasters such as earthquakes and tsunami may remain longer in the minds of the residents even after the debris was cleaned. Relative to the duration of exposure to radiation, the effect can be severe in the form of radiation poison and long-term risks such as cancers (Yaar, Ilan, and Jean 73). The employees at the nuclear plants trying to cool overheated rods and prevent meltdown are at higher risk since they experience more exposure. They are vulnerable to high risk of radiation illnesses or acute radiation syndrome which can lead to damage of body tissues, depletion of the bone marrow or even severe illnesses. Victims of high radiation exposure are at high risk of infection, and this means that they should be kept in sterile wards to prevent infections. The main issue around radiation and the health issues around radiation exposure is distrustful society and ineffective policy frameworks. There is a need to promote radiation communication, sensitize the community on the need for clean energy and create policies that limit the amount of radiation produced in each nuclear plant.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The most fundamental form of communication-related to radiation involves distrust. The first crucial thing is for the stakeholders to dispel distrust among the residents of Japan. This will help facilitate public participation and promote decision making on issues related to radiological risks. Communication must be open and consolidate suggestions from all stakeholders and all residents. Organizations mandated to mitigate radiological risks need to demonstrate that they are making authentic strides in solving issues around radiation (Shimura et al. 425). A communication framework that can facilitate quick communication with the public is fundamental in crisis management and formulation of mutual gain plans for consensus.

There is a big rift in opinions between experts and laymen when it comes to radiation. The context of experts, in this case, involves medical practitioners, policy makers and scholars who focus on nuclear field and radiology (Hasegawa et al. 482). This divide is what causes fear on the effects of radiology even if it is clean energy. When there is an appropriate use of nuclear energy, the health effects cannot be felt. To reduce the perception difference, there is a need to necessitate a more active discourse between the experts and laymen and change the public view on radiation and recover trust. Experts need to go beyond the basic laboratory knowledge and integrate the existing experience of the laymen. Whereas experts may believe that the responsible use of nuclear energy can promote sustainable environmental and health wellbeing, there is a need to work together with the ordinary citizen and recommend ways of reducing fear attached to radiation. When the perception difference between the two is closed, it becomes easier to form public spheres to discuss radiation problems.

The laymen's perception of radiation that often triggers fear is encountered through media. As a result, there is a need to promote media that sensitize the public. Media should not subjectively decode uncertainty when reporting on radiation. The attention-grabbing content by the media tend to manipulate people's view on radiological risk and attitude and fails to highlight the real issues surrounding radiation and its effects. If the media fails to change how it approaches news related to radiation, it will be difficult to establish a valid debate between the experts and the laymen. There is a need to report on facts rather than sensationalism.

Nuclear energy and radiation causes' unmeasurable crisis and timely communication can help reduce the enormous effect that comes with it. How the residents of Japan respond to the risk can help mitigate health issues around it. An important principle behind this is to deliver timely and accurate information to the residents and provide contingency measures such as relocation to other areas. Radiology management organizations need to ensure that there is consistency in the information presented before, during and after a crisis. Effective and timely communication in the event of a radiological accident helps sensitize the public on the possible effects, and this ultimately dispels distrust. When accidents involving radiology occurs, it is fundamental to provide in-depth analysis and diagnosis of possible health hazards.

On issues related to policies, area-specific bans on food production and distribution can help reduce contamination in the food market. This entails formulating food monitoring approaches to assess the level of contamination in food consumed within and exported to other nations. When there is a transparent and objective framework in place, health issues that occur from food substances are reduced significantly. Assessing seafood and other aquatic products should be part of the policy framework (Lien et al. 8). At the same time, information on possible contamination level should be made public and made accessible to all. With a clearly outlined policy framework, food producers and consumers will be well informed about contamination levels of food which will play a key role in reducing health effects. This will also dispel distrust within the Japan residents.

Work Cited

Hasegawa, Arifumi, et al. "Health effects of radiation and other health problems in the aftermath of nuclear accidents, with an emphasis on Fukushima." The Lancet 386.9992 (2015): 479-488.

Lien, Keng-Wen, Min-Pei Ling, and Min-Hsiung Pan. "Assessing Japan Imported Food Products Radiation Doses and Exposure Risk Following the Fukushima Nuclear Accident." Exposure and Health (2019): 1-11.

Shimura, Tsutomu, et al. "Public health activities for mitigation of radiation exposures and risk communication challenges after the Fukushima nuclear accident." Journal of radiation research 56.3 (2015): 422-429.

Yaar, Ilan, and Jean Koch. "Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science." Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science 3 (2017): 030301-1.