nuclear-news

Forest near Fukushima nuclear plant turning into high-radiation jungle via The Mainichi

August 17, 2012(Mainichi Japan)

“…Contaminated materials from the mountains reach inhabited areas, rivers and the sea, so decontamination of the mountains is necessary. But we know better than anyone that it’s hard to get far into the mountains where there are no paths, and there’s no way you can wash down every tree and dig up the soil,” he says.

“What are we going to do about the mountains that are becoming overgrown? As residents start to return, that worries me,” he says…”

“…Radiation readings near the saplings struggling to get sunlight were a little over 40 microsieverts per hour. After just one day in the area, a person would be exposed to more than the government’s designated yearly limit of 1 millisievert.

Facing the mountain, Akimoto lowered his head as he spoke to the saplings.

“I’m sorry that the readings are so high. I’m sorry that I can’t do anything.”…”

“…If trees wither, then the ground becomes unstable, making landslides and flash floods more likely. Akimoto, who has spent time in forests for over 40 years as a worker for the Fukushima Prefecture village of Kawauchi, has many times witnessed disastrous scenes when people have abandoned forests. Now, radiation is also a problem.

“Contaminated materials from the mountains reach inhabited areas, rivers and the sea, so decontamination of the mountains is necessary. But we know better than anyone that it’s hard to get far into the mountains where there are no paths, and there’s no way you can wash down every tree and dig up the soil,” he says…..”

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/features/news/20120817p2a00m0na015000c.html

August 21, 2012 - Posted by arclight2011 | Uncategorized