nuclear-news

5 US states await Japanese debris on coast (some of it radioactive)

US braces for Fukushima debris http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-05/an-fukushima-debris-alert/4178438  August 05, 2012   Groups from Japan and the United States are planning for the expected arrival of an estimated 40,000 tonnes of tsunami debris along North America’s Pacific coast.

Five states are expecting the debris to arrive between October 2012 and February next year.

Representatives from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and
Hawaii are attending a three-day workshop in the US.

Issues they are discussing range from the impact of the debris on
wildlife, to the logistics of removing hazardous and large items.

The Japanese representatives are from the Japan Environmental Action
Network, a non-governmental group focused on marine debris.

They met experts from the US-based non-profit organisation, Ocean
Conservancy, and state coastal clean-up coordinators.

The dock from the port of Aomori washed up in Oregon in June, after
being torn away in the March 20121 tsunami.

The Kyodo news agency says the discussions will help pinpoint the
needs of affected areas so that the Japanese Ministry of Environment
can decide how to help via the Japanese environmental network. Some
rubbish has already washed up, but specialist Nicholas Mallos says
with the debris problem still small, now is the perfect time to
develop a collaborative plan.

August 6, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general