Hirono testing new method of decontamination

 January 28, 2014

Forest decontamination test begins in Hirono town

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140128_36.html 

Officials have begun testing a new technique to reduce radiation levels in a town within 30 kilometers of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Hirono in Fukushima Prefecture has been removing contaminated soil and leaves from forests near houses, but progress has been slow due to a lack of places to store the waste.

All of the town's residents were evacuated after the March 2011 accident. Only 20 percent of them have returned, due to fears of radiation.

Town officials, with the backing of the prefectural government, began on Tuesday a trial of a decontamination system that does not produce waste.

The system involves covering a 200-square-meter forest area with 10-centimeter thick bags of uncontaminated soil. The town hopes the soil cover will shield the ground from radiation and reduce its levels above.

Officials will take radiation readings at the test site until Wednesday and analyze the data. Results of the trial are expected to be made public around April.

A local official says that although Hirono is testing the new method, the town will continue to ask for national government action to remove radioactive substances, as the municipality contains a large area of forests.

Jan. 28, 2014 - Updated 10:52 UTC