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4w ago

Japan to repurpose Fukushima’s contaminated soil in government grounds as it searches for long-term storage

Environment Ministry highlights low radioactivity tests with a flower-bed trial designed to reassure citizens before deciding long-term soil storage

Topsoil was collected as part of large-scale decontamination efforts after the devastating meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant
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Overview

  • Authorities are holding 14 million cubic meters of decontaminated soil near the Fukushima Daiichi plant in interim facilities protected by clean earth and synthetic liners.
  • Environment Ministry tests show about 75% of the stored soil emits radiation no greater than one medical X-ray per year and pilot uses in road and field backfills revealed no detectable runoff.
  • Government plans include using the soil for embankments on roads and railways outside Fukushima and a symbolic display in flower beds at central government offices.
  • The International Atomic Energy Agency has endorsed the ministry’s safety assessments, bolstering confidence in the symbolic reuse ahead of broader applications.
  • Officials face local objections to moving soil into other regions and have pledged to finalize permanent disposal sites by 2045 while intensifying public engagement on safety.