Decontamination efforts
October 19, 2011
Decontamination on private properties in the Onomachi district of Fukushima City began on Tuesday, seven months after an earthquake and tsunami left 20,000 people dead or missing and crippled the Daiichi nuclear plant some 60 kilometers away.
The owner of the first house to be decontaminated expressed his hopes that radiation levels would now decrease significantly but also said the process had begun too late. Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda visited the city for the second time since taking office to see the work get off to a start.
According to the government’s plan, some 110,000 houses, all public buildings and streets, especially those near schools, are supposed to be decontaminated by the end of 2012. Local cleaning companies, residents and volunteers have been recruited to take part in the massive operation.
Radiation hot spots 200 km away
There is considerable urgency because of fears that contamination has spread further than originally believed. Radiation hot spots have been discovered in areas of Chiba and Tokyo, over 200 kilometers away. The level of radiation in a drain at a primary school in the Japanese capital stood at 3.99 microsieverts per hour on Monday, but officials said there was no threat to the health of children.
The level, however, was higher than the radiation limit set by the environment ministry of 20 millisieverts per year. Any level above that outside of the no-go zone mandates a public evacuation.
When radiation is over one millisievert per hour, the local government is supposed to bear the decontamination costs. Authorities aim at reducing the levels of radiation by 60 percent in areas where there are schools and parks by March 2013.
The deadline seems to be an indication when the tens and thousands of evacuated people might be able to return to their homes.
Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report praising the authorities for their contamination efforts but said that the approach had not been efficient enough. The nuclear agency said that Tokyo should concentrate more on inhabited zones.
The decontamination project is very costly and involves complicated logistical issues, including where contaminated soil and sludge should be stored.
Author: Hans-Günther Krauth / act
Editor: Sarah Berning