Radioactivity poses risk in Japan’s tsunami debris

citizens say they are worried about radioactivity or even say that we should refuse to import this debris. “They worry about their children, they are afraid that radiation levels are too high.”

Radiation experts agree that children are at greatest risk from cancers and genetic defects because they are still growing, are more prone to thyroid cancers, and because they will have more time to develop health defects…..

Radiation fears slow tsunami clear-up, News 24, 1 Feb 12, Tokyo – Giant piles of debris from Japan’s earthquake and tsunami scar the country’s once picturesque northeast coast – and the clear-up is hamstrung by fears the rubbish may be contaminated by radiation.

Decades-worth of waste was left behind when the waters receded in
March last year after claiming more than 19 000 lives.

The survivors are desperate to rebuild, but must first get rid of more
than 22 million tons of rubbish – far too much for the disaster-struck
region to deal with alone.

But despite appeals to national solidarity, worries over nuclear
contamination from the crippled Fukushima power plant mean virtually
no one elsewhere in Japan wants the debris processed near them…..

According to his ministry, radiation limits have been set for clear-up
workers at one millisievert per year, the same as that allowed for the
general public under normal circumstances. Incineration plants are not
allowed to expose local residents to more than 0.01 millisieverts per
year.

The Tokyo authority’s own website also details the precautions being
taken there, and explains how many times radiation is measured to
ensure that nothing dangerous makes it to the capital from Miyagi and
Iwate.

Children at greater risk

Even so that has not been enough to assuage the fears of some people
living in the megacity.

“We received some 4 000 letters of complaint [about this],” Masami
Imai, director of the city’s waste department, said.

“In more than 85% of them, citizens say they are worried about
radioactivity or even say that we should refuse to import this debris.

“They worry about their children, they are afraid that radiation
levels are too high.”

Radiation experts agree that children are at greatest risk from
cancers and genetic defects because they are still growing, are more
prone to thyroid cancers, and because they will have more time to
develop health defects. ….

Children at greater risk

Even so that has not been enough to assuage the fears of some people
living in the megacity.

“We received some 4 000 letters of complaint [about this],” Masami
Imai, director of the city’s waste department, said.

“In more than 85% of them, citizens say they are worried about
radioactivity or even say that we should refuse to import this debris.

“They worry about their children, they are afraid that radiation
levels are too high.”

Radiation experts agree that children are at greatest risk from
cancers and genetic defects because they are still growing, are more
prone to thyroid cancers, and because they will have more time to
develop health defects…..
http://www.news24.com/World/News/Radiation-fears-slow-tsunami-clear-up-20120130