Radiation From Japan Detected In Florida, North And South Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Utilities in North and South Carolina are adding to the list of states in the U.S. reporting trace amounts of radiation from a nuclear reactor in Japan that was damaged by an earthquake and tsunami.

Progress Energy and Duke Energy in North Carolina and South Carolina Electric and Gas Co. all operate nuclear plants and say they've detected trace amounts of radiation.

Nuclear experts and health officials say there's no public health risk. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says people are exposed to much more radiation on an international airline flight.

Progress Energy says it picked up low levels of iodine-131, a radioactive byproduct of nuclear fission, at its nuclear plant in South Carolina and a Florida plant.

Massachusetts, Nevada and other Western states also have reported minuscule amounts of radiation.

Comments

[vmf211]

02:14 AM on 04/05/2011

I love that trace amounts of radiation

UMMM I think they should have said radioactive contamination big difference
One is read in rem and milirem here and contamination is read in counts per minutes and then converted into disintigrations per minute.
Huge difference

[trumphent]

08:59 PM on 04/02/2011

For all concerned. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains "Radnet". It's a nationwide set of airborne radiation monitors. I presume this will be the original source of any official warning by federal government regarding radiation.

[MikeyJaii]

09:08 PM on 03/31/2011

Thanks Japan!

[Brad Hoyland]

04:59 PM on 03/31/2011

I would have thought that any increase in radioactivity found AT A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT might, just MIGHT, be from that site. What a ridiculous article.

[Eric Shun]

04:51 PM on 03/31/2011

Excuse my ignorance, but how do they know that this is Japanese radition... Is it special, a different color ???

I am pretty sure that I have heard that there are traces of radiation in the ground and some places it is stronger than others..

[LCdruid]

06:00 PM on 03/30/2011

I heard Aeolus Pharmaceuticals is developing a treatment for radiation poisoning. That's probably a hot stock to own right now.

[SisterAnn]

03:18 PM on 03/30/2011

I see that Obama wants more Nuclear energy.

I hope that works better than his ok for off shore drilling did.

[vmf211]

02:10 AM on 04/05/2011

Thats about the only thing I agree with Obama is more nukes here

[Kenz300]

02:16 PM on 03/30/2011

We all need safe, food to eat, clean air and clean water to survive.

Nuclear energy is too dangerous. People and technology do FAIL.

The consequences of a nuclear failure are too great.

[Dana Nicole]

01:24 PM on 03/30/2011

I'm more concerned with the ridiculous energy prices that Progress Energy charges! The local power company PWC is half as expensive!

[BobVADemHawk]

12:30 PM on 03/30/2011

How much is a "miniscule amount of radiation"? This article is poorly written because no statistics were given. One person's miniscule may be another's motherlode.

[Dastius-Krazitauc]

10:07 AM on 03/30/2011

American nuclear plants pointing to Japan when they detect nuclear radiation?

I hope this isn't a case of nuclear "he who smelt it, dealt it".

[Z06-2008]

07:33 AM on 03/30/2011

What a stupid article... There is absolutely no evidence that this is "Japenese" radiation...

[Dana Nicole]

01:26 PM on 03/30/2011

That's what I thought when I read the lines that stated Progress and Duke Energy were nuclear plants in North Carolina.

[calmly]

07:32 AM on 03/30/2011

Not even radiation wants to live in Georgia...

[JoliAvocat]

05:52 AM on 03/30/2011

VERY odd because the jet stream is the likely way it would get to the USA and the West Coast (where I am) should have gotten it first due to that.

I can't see HOW it got to the Eastern USA. Weather, and the jet stream, come from West.

[IMOPINIONH8D]

08:18 PM on 03/31/2011

They claimed to have found some contaminated rainwater in Mass a few days ago and some mil in Wash state. I agree with you about the jet stream and wonder if radiation has certain markers that could identify the source?

[vmf211]

02:16 AM on 04/05/2011

It maybe aiborne contamination not radiation

[Blak]

05:07 AM on 03/30/2011

More fear mongering by the media and and a chance for utility companies to point fingers at someone else.