Cleaning up California's beaches

Thousands Flock to Clean-Up Radioactive Beaches

TheResistance United,

9 January, 2014

California has mobilized hundreds of thousands of citizens to clean up debris along the beaches, including debris from the 2011 Japanese Tsunami. This catastrophic event resulted in radioactive debris being sent into the Pacific ocean from the severely damaged Fukushima Diiachi Nuclear Power Plant. Volunteer debris collectors clean up any debris they find and gather critical information about the Japanese tsunami debris using a comprehensive data card. It is as if each volunteer is a guinea-pig in a massive experiment.

Tsunami debris began hitting the West Coast back in 2011 but according to the California Commission, “researchers believe that the first large waves of tsunami debris began hitting the California shores in Winter and Spring of 2013,” with subsequent waves expected to continue to hit the shores.

Generous grants from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA) have spawned numerous volunteer debris programs including:

Adopt-A-Beach®

COASTWEEKS

WHALE TAIL® License Plate,

Tsunami Debris Cleanup Project

Coastwalk California

Pacifica Beach Coalition

Save Our Shores

ECOSLO

Heal the Bay

Orange County Coastkeeper

I Love A Clean San Diegor

I Love A Clean San Diego

These volunteers have cleaned up millions of pounds of debris from California’s coastline in the last three years since the Japanese Tsunami. This work was accomplished in everyday clothing with bucket in hand. None of the citizens were provided protective gear just in case debris turned out to be radioactive.

Beach Babes for Clean Up Days

In the old days people going to the beach pondered a leisurely time sunbathing, snorkeling, surfing, tide-pooling, sand-castle building, but in these times “beach days” has a darker, more sinister meaning. Thousands of volunteers are flocking to beaches to clean up debris that frankly might be radioactive, and they are not being properly warned of the potential hazard.

Japanese Tsunami beach clean up days are being highly advertised to encourage more people to collect Japanese debris. Organizers already have the 2014 calendar up and are scheduling beach clean up days.

Radioactive Debris?

There is a fierce debate between citizens and government about whether debris from the Japanese Tsunami is radioactive or not. Private citizens with radiological detecting equipment say beaches and debris are radioactive, while the government sources maintain a veil of secrecy and guarded words about radiation. They hide behind the voice of the Japanese Tsunami Marine Debris Joint Information Center which promises to bring the public the latest information, but was last updated in December 2012!

Volunteers are told it is “unlikely” debris washing up in California will be radioactive. They are also told that testing is being done which shows “no elevated levels of radioactivity”. They are reassured that California Emergency Management has “qualified emergency responders ready to help” if volunteers come across anything dangerous. By that time it will be too late to safe-guard their health.

SECURED Liability Waiver

Each beach debris collector must sign a SECURED Waiver of Liability and Assumption of Risk which informs the debris collectors that:

Cleaning up beaches involves “certain inherent risks” including environmental conditions.

”This instrument exempts and releases “all parties” defined from all liability or responsibility whatsoever for personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death, however caused, including negligence of the released parties, whether passive or active”. The release includes any lawsuit or claim for themselves, their family, estate, heirs, or assigns.”

Should they become injured while participating in the Event they “authorize any physician or surgeon in the State of California to perform emergency or surgical treatment”.

This release clearly states that the organizer and partner agencies are held harmless, including wrongful death due to active negligence! That would include failing to notify participants that they were being exposed to radiation.

Lest you think this program is isolated to California, it is not. All Pacific Ocean coastal states, including British Columbia, have instituted the coastal clean-up program.