ID :
186569
Sun, 06/05/2011 - 17:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/186569
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Gov't to OK incinerating, burying radioactive rubble in Fukushima
TOKYO, June 5 Kyodo -
The Environment Ministry plans to allow incinerating or burying rubble from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in the coastal and central parts of Fukushima Prefecture that could be contaminated with radioactive material spewing from a damaged nuclear power plant in the northeastern prefecture, ministry officials said Sunday.
While the ministry already allows 10 municipalities where contamination levels are low to handle debris under normal procedures, it has decided to expand the eased restrictions to other parts of the prefecture, except for the government-designated off-limits and evacuation areas.
The move is aimed at speeding up the removal of rubble in Fukushima Prefecture, but authorities are required to handle it with care, including decontaminating and managing it properly, the officials said.
The ministry plans to formally decide on the matter at an expert panel meeting scheduled on June 19 and allow the disposal of rubble kept at makeshift yards starting as early as in late June. But it will continue to ban the transfer of the debris to areas outside Fukushima Prefecture.
As of Friday, the ministry estimates that 23.82 million tons of rubble have resulted from the March disaster in the coastal areas of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures alone.
Of the total, Fukushima accounts for 2.88 million tons, of which 16 percent have been taken to makeshift yards, but cleanup work has been stalled in municipalities around the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The Environment Ministry plans to allow incinerating or burying rubble from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in the coastal and central parts of Fukushima Prefecture that could be contaminated with radioactive material spewing from a damaged nuclear power plant in the northeastern prefecture, ministry officials said Sunday.
While the ministry already allows 10 municipalities where contamination levels are low to handle debris under normal procedures, it has decided to expand the eased restrictions to other parts of the prefecture, except for the government-designated off-limits and evacuation areas.
The move is aimed at speeding up the removal of rubble in Fukushima Prefecture, but authorities are required to handle it with care, including decontaminating and managing it properly, the officials said.
The ministry plans to formally decide on the matter at an expert panel meeting scheduled on June 19 and allow the disposal of rubble kept at makeshift yards starting as early as in late June. But it will continue to ban the transfer of the debris to areas outside Fukushima Prefecture.
As of Friday, the ministry estimates that 23.82 million tons of rubble have resulted from the March disaster in the coastal areas of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures alone.
Of the total, Fukushima accounts for 2.88 million tons, of which 16 percent have been taken to makeshift yards, but cleanup work has been stalled in municipalities around the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
