Social & Economic Issues

Destructive Impact of Nuclear Waste 

By: Olivia Senoo Hong

On July 4th, 2023, a plan by Japan to release more than a million tons of treated nuclear wastewater from the destroyed Fukushima power plant into the ocean was approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The plan had drawn significant debate within the nation, neighboring countries, and the scientific communities. The Japanese government argued that this process is done in a safe and scientifically proven way. Meanwhile, Japanese residents, neighboring countries, and scientists are worried about its reliability and long-term effects. 

Despite these debates, Japan began the first discharge of nuclear waste water on August 24th, 2023. According to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), 7,800 tons of wastewater were released into the Pacific Ocean during the first discharge (08/24/2023~09/11/2023). Subsequently, on October 6th, 2023, Japan initiated the second release of radioactive wastewater. TEPCO and the Japanese government completed the second discharge on October 23rd, 2023, resulting in a total release of 7,800 tons of contaminated water. The third discharge, comprising the same volume of radioactive water, occurred from November 2nd, 2023, to November 20th, 2023. Additionally, TEPCO plans a fourth release by the end of March 2024. 

The primary reason for the production of nuclear wastewater is the Fukushima nuclear accident. In March 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station experienced a severe nuclear accident due to the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that devastated much of the country's east coast. After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011, large amounts of contaminated water were generated while cooling down damaged reactor cores. 

However, those discharges have brought up many conflicts. According to an article from the Associated Press, “Residents and fishermen file a lawsuit demanding a halt to the release of Fukushima wastewater” by Mari Yamaguchi, approximately 150 residents of Miyagi Prefecture filed a lawsuit with the Fukushima District Court against the government and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), demanding a halt to the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean.

Similarly, the Chinese government has strongly opposed the release of nuclear wastewater since 2021. This topic was sensitively discussed in multiple meetings between the two countries. On August 24, 2023, the first day of discharge, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) suspended all imports of aquatic products from Japan. Other neighboring countries, like Russia, Hong Kong, and Macau, also banned the importation of aquatic products from Japan. Correspondingly, this issue is being discussed seriously in South Korea. The survey conducted by Genron NPO showed that nearly 70% of South Koreans were against the release of radioactive wastewater. There are still many protests going on in South Korea to terminate the plan. 

On the other hand, the United States and the European Union (EU) strongly support the discharge of radioactive wastewater. Mathew Miller, the department spokesperson from the U.S. Department of State, stated, “As Secretary Blinken noted on August 15, the United States is satisfied with Japan’s safe, transparent, and science-based process.” Similarly, the President of the European Commission at the EU-Japan Summit stated, “The EU welcomes Japan's transparent efforts with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) based on scientific evidence…”

In terms of impacts, the health risks associated with the release of radioactive wastewater are also a significant concern. According to Greenpeace, a global campaigning organization, over 100 times the regulatory standards of strontium-90 remain in the Fukushima nuclear plant after processing through the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS). Strontium-90 is one of the radioactive elements that can cause DNA double-strand breaks.  This could lead to significant genetic damage and trigger cancer. Furthermore, the wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear power plant contains carbon-14 with a half-life of 5,730 years. Fukushima wastewater also includes other radioactive materials: cesium-137, iodine-129, and cobalt-60. These radioactive materials would accumulate in the marine food chain for long periods, eventually impacting humans. 

Bayside High School social studies Teacher Mrs. Yazdanfar states, “I think it’s so important that the world takes notice of this issue because it not only impacts the environment but the countries and people around that area. It sickens the animals and potentially the humans. It also sets precedents if there are no consequences.” 

Correspondingly, Bayside High School sophomore Yessica Suero says, “I think we should notice this issue because it will affect everybody in the world. Even though it doesn’t have an impact on humans directly, it will come to us through the food chain eventually.” 

Similarly, Joanna Huang, a sophomore at Bayside High School, states, “This is the first time I’ve heard of Fukushima’s wastewater release, and it’s quite shocking to know radioactive materials are being dumped into the ocean intentionally. Even though the water has been purified and such, dumping it into the ocean is still very risky, especially knowing marine animal populations can be heavily impacted negatively. This is important to be aware of since more is being put into our ocean than is taken out. If anything is missed from experiments, this event will cause more trouble for both lives on land and in the ocean.”

Ultimately, the levels of radioactive isotopes in the water can still have long-term effects on humans, even if they are considered within legal limits. Thus, people should be aware of environmental issues occurring worldwide to maintain a sustainable environment. 

Enactment of the New Voices Law

By Larissa Codallos

At times, student journalists have their articles rejected when they pertain to certain issues about their school. In response to this conflict, The New Voices Law was introduced to help defend the First Amendment rights of student journalists. The law is described as a “student-powered nonpartisan grassroots movement of state-based activists who seek to protect student press freedom with state laws.” The Student Law Press Center, which is based in Washington, D.C., has advocated for this legislation. Their mission is to “promote, support and defend the First Amendment and free press rights of student journalists and their advisers.” 

The New Voices Law was created to counteract the 1988 Hazelwood East High School v. Kuhlmeier Case. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing administrators to censor school newspaper articles about teen pregnancy and the impact of divorce on children. The censorship was done out of fear of tarnishing the school’s reputation. The case was brought to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit by the students and reversed the decision of the lower court. The case was then appealed by The United States Supreme Court where it was decided that the school administration did have the power to censor articles and stories. This decision created an uproar among student journalists. Since 1988, states have tried to push their own laws to help student journalists, but the New Voices Law has mainly been pushed and advocated for by students.  

Out of the 50 states, only 17 have passed this law. These states include Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois ,Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. As of December 2023, New York State has NOT passed this law, although it has been introduced. The official bill is called the Student Journalist Free Speech Act (S.2958/A.4402). Currently, the bill is being co-sponsored by assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and senator Brian Kavanagh, with a total of 46 co-sponsored members of the New York Assembly and Senate. The bill specifically delineates five distinct categories of speech that are not protected and cannot be published by student journalists. These categories include speech that is defamatory, invades privacy, violates state or federal laws, incites unlawful actions, or significantly disrupts the school's operations. Mike Simons, a teacher in upstate New York, has been a very important part of advocacy in New York. He and his students have been advocating for seven years. 

In school, we are taught to speak up and raise awareness when something is wrong, yet we are shut down when talking about important issues in our school community or even in the world. It is important to talk about the New Voices Law because it affects the future of all public school student journalists, whether they be in middle school or university, especially when considering careers in journalism and media. We should be able to express our opinions and ideas without fear of being prohibited or censored.