nuclear-news

Fukushima radiation in Japan’s mushrooms and forests

Radiation fears spread to forest industry SHIROISHI, Mainichi Daily News, 26 Dec 11 Miyagi –– Radiation fears stemming from the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant and radiation monitoring activities are raising concern among people handling trees to grow mushrooms and make charcoal.

Forest workers are very concerned about any potential fallout from the nuclear crisis because they have to independently monitor radiation before applying to the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), for compensation, unlike farmers and fishermen who have
standing in law.

Decontamination work in the mountains is said to be much more difficult than on flat land and some forest workers are considering
switching jobs.The Forestry Agency in October set a ceiling of 150
becquerels per kilogram for raw wood for mushroom cultivation and in
November set limits on radioactive cesium found in firewood and
charcoal for cooking at 40 becquerels and 280 becquerels,
respectively.

The governmental agency advised Tokyo and other prefectures concerned
not to market forestry products that exceed those ceilings. While
local governments conduct radiation checks on farm and marine products
under the Food Sanitation Law, there is no law for contaminated raw
wood or charcoal. The agency says it is simply requesting members of
the forest products industry to unilaterally check radiation and make
redress requests.

“Even if I prepare expensive testing equipment, I can’t do business
because of a dwindling number of clients,” Tomio Takahashi, a
58-year-old forestry operator in Shiroishi, Miyagi Prefecture, near
the border with Fukushima Prefecture, said with a sigh.
He started his forest business 35 years ago using wood from southern
Miyagi and Fukushima Prefecture to produce and sell raw wood for
mushrooms, charcoal and firewood. The nuclear crisis triggered by the
March 11 earthquake and tsunami occurred as his firm’s annual turnover
reached 90 million yen.

His firm is located 70 kilometers away from the Fukushima nuclear
power plant. His business partners asked him about radiation
contamination and subsequent examinations by an inspection entity of
raw wood for shiitake mushrooms found a cesium level of 333 becquerels
per kilogram.

Massive cancellations ensued, and one firm said it cannot accept his
forest products for the next two years.

Cesium levels of about 1,800 becquerels per kilogram were also found
in ash in the firm’s charcoal kilns. Takahashi wonders if the firm’s
six kilns have been contaminated due to the burning of timber. Tearing
down the kilns would cost about 30 million yen and disposing of them
afterward poses a challenge as well.

“I don’t know how long radiation will remain in the mountains,” he
says, adding he is considering quitting charcoal production because
“there is no guarantee when his customers will come back.”

The Miyagi Prefectural Government has launched a search for forests
with low levels of cesium to pass on information to forest workers and
owners.http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111226p2a00m0na009000c.html

December 27, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Japan