nuclear-news

Illegal dumping of radioactive material in Fukushima

Contaminated soil might have been illegally dumped in Fukushima
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130104p2g00m0dm068000c.html
TOKYO (Kyodo), 4 Jan 13,  — Some Japanese contractors are suspected of having
illegally dumped radioactively contaminated soil, vegetation and water
into rivers or other places close to the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi
nuclear power plant, the Environment Ministry said Friday.

The ministry has decided to summon senior officials of those
contractors to the Fukushima Office for Environmental Restoration and
question them about how they have managed contaminated materials.

Some contractors responsible for decontamination work in areas
affected by the March 2011 disaster are suspected of having illegally
dumped tainted soil and other substances in the city of Tamura, the
town of Naraha and the village of Iitate, which are all located in
Fukushima Prefecture, according to the ministry.

A special law created after the nuclear disaster bans illegal dumping
of contaminated substances into the environment and sets penalties of
imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 10 million yen for
violators.The government has worked out detailed guidelines on
decontamination work. They require contractors to store contaminated
substances at the site of decontamination work or temporary storage
sites.

“It is very regrettable if that is true,” Fukushima Gov. Yuhei Sato
told his first news conference this year in reference to the suspected
dumping.

Sato called on the ministry to fully investigate the suspected dumping

January 5, 2013 - Posted by Christina MacPherson | Fukushima 2013, Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties, wastes