Little progress in decontamination

July 27, 2012

Slow progress in decontamination

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20120727_35.html

Japan's government is under pressure to quickly decontaminate evacuated communities so that residents can return home.

The government hopes to finish cleaning up 11 municipalities by the end of March 2014, except for areas where radiation levels are extremely high.

But the Environment Ministry has yet to draw up decontamination plans for 6 of the municipalities.

Private contractors have been chosen to do the work only in Tamura City and another town.

Procedures to obtain landowners' consent for decontamination have begun only in the city and one village.

None of the municipalities has secured enough space for temporary storage of contaminated soil and other waste.

The government plans to build sites near the disabled Fukushima nuclear plant to store the waste until its final disposal. But the outlook is uncertain due to local concerns.