A youth advocate has challenged Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to reconsider his decision to support a nuclear waste dump into the Pacific Ocean.

One Nation Our People Youth club president, Abdul Zorhab was responding to a Radio NZ Pacific Bulletin stating Fiji’s satisfaction with the safety of Japan’s nuclear wastewater release.

Mr Rabuka gave his blessing in a United Nations nuclear agency’s report on the Fukushima wastewater issue.

Japan aims to gradually release 1.4 million tonnes of treated nuclear wastewater from the defunct Fukushima power plant over a period of 30-40 years.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Japan’s plans met the relevant international standards.

Mr Rabuka was one of the few Pacific leaders satisfied with it.

Mr Zorhab said the release of nuclear wastewater from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean was an alarming and unprecedented move.

“Despite assertions made by the Prime Minister, we cannot ignore the potential environmental and health risks associated with such an action,” he said.

“The long-term consequences of releasing this contaminated water into the ocean are still unknown, and we cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to our environment and the well-being of our communities.”

Mr Zorhab said the impact on marine life and ecosystems was of particular concern.

“The potential contamination of seafood and the destruction of delicate ecosystems could have far-reaching and devastating effects,” he said.

“We witnessed the consequences of nuclear disasters in the past, and cannot afford to repeat history. The health and safety of our communities, both present and future, should be our utmost priority.

“We must demand transparency, thorough scientific studies, and independent assessments to fully understand the repercussions of such decisions.

“Our voices matter and we cannot be silenced when it comes to our environment and the well-being of human beings.

“We must prioritse the safety and welfare of our people and our environment above all else.

“Let us unite in our opposition to the release of Fukushima nuclear wastewater. “

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