Fukushima Still Looking For
Effective Approaches To Decontamination
Fukushima Power Plant
EMF Protection Devices
Magnetic Field Detector
Nov. 22, 2011
TOKYO --National authorities
are preparing for the start of full-scale decontamination
operations in Fukushima Prefecture, the site of the stricken
Fukushima I nuclear power station. November 18 saw the
launch of a model project for effective promotion of
decontamination. Local governments in the prefecture are
already leading approaches to decontamination on their own,
but continue to grope for effective means, which have not
yet been established. In some cases, there have been
mistaken or excessive approaches.
The most common
misunderstanding related to decontamination is to begin
decontamination with locations showing the highest radiation
doses. When objects exhibiting high radiation levels are
sprayed with water under high pressure, the radioactive
substances adhered to them are washed off, and the radiation
level consequently declines temporarily. Nevertheless, spots
with high radiation levels are lowlands, gutters or other
areas where radioactive substances are apt to collect, and
the level generally rises afterward.
http://www.shimbun.denki.or.jp/en/news/20111122_01.html
Many also hold mistaken views
about decontamination of forests, which are liable to have
higher doses. For example, deciduous trees had not yet
sprouted leaves when the disaster struck in March, and the
leaves now on them are virtually devoid of radiation. Even
evergreens such as pines and cedars often have had the
radioactive substances on their leaves washed away by rains,
and it would make more sense to decontaminate the soil
beneath them. Felling the trees is not the advisable
approach.
There are also problems in
the aspect of citizen psychology. In spite of the fact that
the national government has established a standard requiring
decontamination only for contamination on the order of at
least 1 milliSievert per year, citizens are in many cases
undertaking decontamination in pursuit of even lower levels.
A further reduction where dose levels are already fairly low
is also technically more difficult.
There are also apprehensions
about a shortage in hands. The single most important factor
in decontamination is expertise in the measurement of
radiation levels. Acquisition of this expertise requires
training using measurement devices. These devices are in
short supply nationwide, however, and this is making it
impossible to train enough people in their use. Tokyo
Electric Power Co., Inc. (TEPCO) and other electric power
companies possess sophisticated expertise in radiation
measurement, but there is deep-seated distrust of TEPCO,
which was responsible for the catastrophe, among the
citizens of Fukushima.
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