| ICE Case Studies
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I.
Case Background |
The former Soviet Union and, now Russia, have reportedly dumped radioactive waste in the Sea of Japan since 1950s. A report of an environmental group, Greenpeace, first revealed the surprising fact in February 1993, and Russian authorities admitted it the following month.1 Even then, the Russian navy audaciously dumped 900 tons of low level liquid nuclear waste directly in the Sea of Japan in October, 1993.2 In the face of strong resentment in Japan, the United States and other countries, the Russian government reluctantly announced that it would suspend the dumping. Since the Sea of Japan is a fertile fishing ground for surrounding countries such as, South Korea, North Korea, Japan and Russia itself, it is feared that fish and sea plants may be contaminated by those radioactive materials. Moreover, there may be possibility that such dangerous substances spread out of the Sea of Japan. In such a case, countries facing the Pacific Ocean might be threatened by the radioactive contamination through sea foods.
The former Soviet Union and Russia had dumped radioactive waste on many occasions in the Far East water area including the Sea of Japan since 1950s. Soviet Union/Russia had several dump sites in the Sea of Japan and the North Pacific Ocean off Kamchatka peninsula.
It is been known that Soviet Union/Russia had disposed of highly radioactive waste in the sea of Far East area on at least six occasions since 1978. In 1978, Soviet Union dumped two nuclear reactors off North Korea. In 1985, it dumped radioactive waste in the Pacific Ocean (specific location is unknown). In 1992, it dumped containers of liquid radioactive waste in the Sea of Japan. In 1989, it disposed of components of a submarine reactor in the Pacific Ocean off Kamchatka peninsula. In 1992, it dumped containers of nuclear waste in the Pacific off Kamchatka. In 1985, Soviet submarine reactor exploded in the Sea of Japan and it has continued to emit radiation ever since.3 In addition to those dumpings, Russia seems to have continued to dispose of low-level radioactive wastes as late as October 1993 when a Greenpeace vessel witnessed and reported the Russia's dumping of liquid waste.
In 1975, "Soviet Union had ratified an international treaty that banned dumping reactor hardware and strictly controlled the disposal of liquid radioactive waste, requiring that nuclear wastes disposed of at sea be sunk at least 3,000 m."4 In addition, Soviet Union/Russia is a signatory of London Dumping Convention in 1983 which "called for an immediate halt to all dumping of nuclear waste at sea."5 Although Soviet Union/Russia signed these treaties, it has ignored them. Obviously the above listed events are bold violations of international agreements.
It is believed that "the former Soviet Union dumped as many as 17,000 containers of solid and liquid nuclear waste into these waters [Barents Sea and Kara Sea] between 1964-86, almost all of it at depths of less than 300 m."6 Thus Soviet/Russia's dumpings were not confined to far east area. The Arctic area is as much threatened by nuclear wastes as the Sea of Japan.
According to scientists, if radioactive wastes are placed at depth of 500 meters or below there would be little threat to fish and sea plants in the short run.7 But how about long run effects? No one has ever given a clear answer to it. One thing that seems obvious is that even if each of those reported dumping cases does not affect the environment in reality, it guarantees no safety at all. Accumulation of those wastes is likely to lead to serious destruction of global environment, even though the effect of each dumping is really insignificant.
In October, 1993 the Russian prime minister mentioned a shortage of nuclear watste processing facilities as the reason for Russia's disposal of nuclear wastes at sea.8 He also said that he was expecting assistance from other countries including Japan to construct appropriate facilities and that if such aid was insufficient or slow Russia would be forced to resume dumping in the future.9 Thus, this environmental problem seems to be used as a card for political bargaining by Russia.
The most immediate concern of disposal of nuclear waste at sea is the effect of radiation on the edible fish. Fish and sea plants which inhabit the area might be contaminated by the waste. People are likely to avoid buying fish caught in the allegedly polluted area once they know of the disposal of dangerous substances. It follows that obviously fishing would incur the most serious and immediate damage from the dumping of nuclear wastes.
The Sea of Japan is abundant in fish resources because a warm and a cold current meet there. For example, squid is very popular sea food in Japan, and much of squids consumed in Japan are caught in the Sea of Japan. If the area is really contaminated by radioactive wastes, not only the fishery industry but also consumers in general will inflict damages.10 Fishing is generally an important industry for countries surrounding the Sea of Japan.
Continent: Asia
Region: East Asia
Country: Japan
There are also multilateral aspects. The International Maritime Organization is the administrative organization to promote cooperation among the 61 signatories of the London Dumping Convention.
Barnard, William D., and Levinson, Howard. Waste in Marine
Environment. Washington, DC: Hemisphere Publishing Corporation,
1988.
Boudreaux, Richard, and Watanabe, Teresa. "Russian Nuclear
Waste Sparks Feud," Los Angels Times, October 17, 1993.
Hiatt, Fred. "Russians Set to Dump Nuclear Waste at Sea - Move
Runs Counter to Moratorium, Laws," Washington Post, October
17,1993.
Sanger, David E. "Nuclear Material Dumped off Japan - Disposal
of Waste by Russia Offsets Yeltsin Diplomacy," New York Times,
October 19, 1993.
Whitney, Craig R. "Russia Halts Nuclear Dumping in Sea," New York
Times, October 22, 1993.
Zyla, Melana. "Deep Trouble - Russian Nuclear Waste Dumped in Sea
of Japan," Far Eastern Economic Review, March 18, 1993.
Work Cited
1 Boudreaux, Richard, and Watanabe, Teresa. "Russian Nuclear
Waste Sparks Feud," Los Angels Times, October 17, 1993.
2 Hiatt, Fred. "Russians Set to Dump Nuclear Waste at Sea -
Move Runs Counter to Moratorium, Laws," Washington Post, October
17, 1993.
3 Zyla, Melana. "Deep Trouble - Russian Nuclear Waste Dumped
in Sea of Japan," Far Eastern Economic Review, March 18, 1993.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 Ibid.
7 Zyla, Melana. "Deep Trouble - Russian Nuclear Waste Dumped
in Sea of Japan," Far Eastern Economic Review, March 18, 1993.
8 Whitny, Craig R. "Russia Halts Nuclear Dumping in Sea," New
York Times, October 22, 1993.
9 Ibid.
10 Sanger, David E. "Nuclear Material Dumped off Japan -
Disposal of Waste by Russia Offsets Yeltsin Diplomacy," New York
Times, October 19, 1993.
11 Barnard, William D., and Levinson, Howard. Waste in
Marine Environment, Washington, DC: Hemisphere Publishing
Corporation, 1988.
12 Ibid.