🏯 UN Nuclear Chief to Inspect Fukushima's Contaminated Soil
This week, Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is set to visit the storage facilities holding massive amounts of soil contaminated by the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Imagine filling up 10 baseball stadiums with this soil – that's the scale we're talking about!
The Fukushima Daiichi plant was hit by a tsunami, leading to a meltdown in what was the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Now, efforts are underway to remove and manage harmful radiation.
During his visit on Wednesday, Grossi will tour the plant and see some of the 13 million cubic meters of contaminated soil and 300,000 cubic meters of ash from incinerated organic material. For a fun comparison, the Tokyo Dome, where Taylor Swift rocked the stage last year, holds about 1.24 million cubic meters.
Japan plans to recycle approximately 75% of this soil, which has low levels of radioactivity. If deemed safe, this material could be used in constructing road and railway embankments, among other projects. The rest will be disposed of outside the Fukushima region by 2045.
The Japanese government aims to finalize the disposal site this year, with regional leaders urging a swift plan. Earlier in September, the IAEA confirmed that Japan's approach aligns with UN safety standards.
Stay tuned as Japan continues its journey to clean up and safely manage the aftermath of one of the world's most significant nuclear incidents! 🌏🔍
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
