TOKYO, Japan — Dozens of bags containing mildly radioactive soil, collected from areas surrounding the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant, were delivered to the Japanese prime minister’s office on Saturday.
This initiative is a concerted effort by authorities to demonstrate the soil’s safety for reuse and to overcome public apprehension.
Following the devastating March 2011 tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster, authorities undertook a massive decontamination effort, scraping a layer of contaminated soil from large swathes of land in Fukushima Prefecture to reduce radiation levels.
Since then, an immense quantity of this soil—estimated at 14 million cubic meters—has been stored at facilities near the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
The government has set a target of 2045 for the complete transfer of this material to other locations across the country.
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According to the environment ministry, the majority of the stored soil exhibits low levels of radiation. These levels are described as equivalent to or less than receiving one X-ray per year for individuals who directly stand on or work with the material.
However, with very few entities willing to accept the contaminated earth for disposal or storage, the government has decided to take the lead.
By reusing a portion of the soil in a visible way, the authorities aim to publicly affirm its non-dangerous nature and build confidence in its potential for broader application.
