In Japan – officials estimate that 7 tons of radioactive waste is flowing into the ocean every hour at the crippled Daiichi nuclear facility. The source of the leaking waste appears to be reactor 2. Attempts to clog the leak with cement have failed – and new attempts to plug the hole with a “junk-shot” of saw dust – chemicals, and shredded newspaper doesn’t appear to be working either.

Officials have now put a timeframe on containing the situation, saying it could take several months for the plant’s cooling systems to come back online and for the radiation to be contained.

Of course – that would just be a first step. It will then take hundreds of thousands of years for the mess caused by the use of nuclear power to decay to safety.