TEPCO begins dumping radiation-absorbent bags into sea

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), the operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant, began dumping bags with zeolites which are able to absorb radioactive substances into the sea, Kyodo news agency reported on Friday.

Bags were also dumped into the drainage system of the second and third power blocks.

Zeolites are microporous, aluminosilicate minerals commonly used as commercial adsorbents.

A powerful earthquake and tsunami hit northeastern Japan on March 11 leaving more than 27,000 people dead or missing and disabling the Fukushima reactors' cooling systems. Radioactive elements were later found in the water, air and food products in some parts of Japan.

MOSCOW, April 15 (RIA Novosti)