nuclear-news

National forest site for Japan’s nuclear waste disposal

Tochigi forest eyed as N-waste disposal site http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120903003600.htm4 Sept 12, Jiji Press The Environment Ministry said Monday it has selected a national forest in Yaita, Tochigi Prefecture, as a candidate site for final disposal of waste contaminated by radioactive substances from last year’s nuclear accident.

It was the first time the ministry has unveiled a candidate site for refuse incineration ash, sludge and rice straw that are tainted with radioactive substances from Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, which was crippled by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

The ministry is also working on selecting final disposal sites in Miyagi, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures.

The central government is required to dispose of such waste that contains radioactive cesium of more than 8,000 becquerels per kilogram under special legislation for dealing with radioactive materials from the nuclear accident. The amount of such waste is estimated to top 50,000 tons across the country. Tochigi Prefecture is projected to have about 9,000 tons.

The ministry chose the national forest in Yaita as the candidate site after considering the topography and effects on nearby areas, officials said.

The government plans to start construction there of a final disposal facility covering 3 to 4 hectares in fiscal 2013 for completion by the end of fiscal 2014.

September 5, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, wastes