Decontamination a waste of tax funds?

January 5, 2013

Decontamination worker says illicit dumping is daily occurrence

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130105p2a00m0na015000c.html

Illicit dumping of radiation-tainted soil, plants and water resulting from decontamination work in areas affected by the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant disaster is "common practice," a worker has told the Mainichi Shimbun.

The Environment Ministry launched an investigation after allegations of illicit dumping by contractors charged by the government to conduct decontamination efforts emerged on Jan. 4.

According to the worker, who has been monitoring radiation levels as part of decontamination efforts in the Fukushima Prefecture village of Kawauchi and elsewhere since last fall, general contractors are awarded primary contracts, and subcontractors take charge of each decontamination zone. These zones are then divided up among unions of sub-subcontractors comprising small to mid-size companies and local operators.

The worker said that branches and leaves collected during decontamination work are supposed to be stored temporarily in special bags, but such rules are commonly disregarded.

"There's no temporary storage space anymore, so branches and leaves are often just left there," he said. "It's common practice. In other words, we arrive at the conclusion that since there's no space to put it, there's nothing else we can do."

Water that has been used to decontaminate surfaces must also be collected by placing plastic sheets under structures during cleaning. The tainted water is then pumped into a tank and processed with a purification system. However, failure to take such measures is common, the worker said.

"It's only in model zones directly under the jurisdiction of the Environment Ministry where the ministry conducts inspections that water is collected properly. Otherwise, it's not done. (Tainted water) is left as is.

"My colleagues and I are always saying, 'If the mass media were to come and see what's going on now, all hell would break loose.' When a high-ranking state figure came for an inspection, we did everything right. But everything is usually done really shoddily. Sometimes, grass on the side of the road that's been cut is just left there."

As a result, it is common for air radiation levels to remain relatively unchanged after decontamination, the worker said.

"In reality, (decontamination) hasn't been very effective. From our point of view, it's a waste of tax funds. But the government can't very well say they're going to stop decontamination efforts because there's no budget for it. For primary contractors, there's no deal as sweet as this. The more work they take on, the more money they're paid.

"Unless we do something now (since things have come to light), things will get worse. No matter how much tax money we have, it'll never be enough."