All vehicles contaminated by nuke disaster will be scrapped by 2020

October 28, 2017

TEPCO to scrap all 1,010 vehicles contaminated in nuclear disaster

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201710280001.html

By HIROSHI ISHIZUKA/ Staff Writer

All 1,010 vehicles contaminated by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster that are currently designated for use at the crippled plant will be scrapped by the end of fiscal 2020, the plant operator said.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. officials said it is now undesirable for automobiles tainted with radioactive substances to continue operating at the site of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, which is becoming cleaner thanks to decontamination and other efforts.

The officials said Oct. 12 that all contaminated vehicles will be replaced with clean automobiles.

The decision was announced when members of the Fukushima prefectural government’s panel on occupational safety and health measures inspected facilities at the plant, including one for dismantling contaminated vehicles.

The panel includes experts in nuclear power technology and local government officials.

TEPCO officials said about 1,100 vehicles for business use and 600 automobiles of workers were at the plant site when the disaster unfolded.

Currently, 1,010 contaminated automobiles have red stickers showing that they were contaminated in the disaster.

However, 181 of them have fallen into disuse and others have long remained idle. That has caused problems, including a shortage of parking spaces.