Fukushima nuclear radiation waste leak risk increases

According to Kyodo News on August 18, the radioactive waste generated during the decontamination work at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company was stored in ton bags. Currently, the ton bags are seriously aged at various temporary storage sites, and have been cracked and even leaked.

The cause of the deterioration is said to be the failure to use ton bags that meet the standards set by the Ministry of the Environment, and possibly improper management. If left unattended for a long time, it could cause anxiety among residents and affect the progress of decontamination work.

It has been nearly three and a half years since the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan. The Japanese government plans to move the waste to a temporary storage facility from January next year, but due to the lack of progress in negotiations with Fukushima Prefecture, the damage to the ton bags may be further exacerbated in the future.

In early August, several ton bags broke at a temporary storage site in Futaba County, Fukushima Prefecture, and sand and gravel leaked out. The ton bags used in the decontamination work from September to December last year were exposed in the wild. According to industry groups, the ton bags used in the decontamination work did not meet the specifications.

In addition, at other temporary stacking sites, rainwater accumulated around the non-waterproof ton bags, flowed over the water-shielding belts to the outside, and entered the ditch.

In 2011, the Ministry of the Environment, with the cooperation of industry groups, established standards for storing radioactive materials for three years. The standards require the use of durable ton bags that meet the standards, but in practice, it is not uncommon for cheap, inferior products to be used instead.

Shinzo Kimura, an associate professor at Dokkyo University of Medicine who serves as a decontamination consultant to local governments in Fukushima Prefecture, called for action, saying, "Three years have passed since the decontamination work began, and the aging of the bags is becoming increasingly serious. From a long-term perspective, it is undeniable that there will be impacts on health and the environment."

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