#Radioactive Leaf Compost: Kamakura City in Kanagawa Finally Stops Giving Out Compost to Residents

after more than 4 months of radioactive fallout, because the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has finally issued a notice that it would be better not to use leaf compost.

It has been in the news from early on that the level of radiation is higher under the rain gutters, in the shrubs and trees, on the dead leaves and twigs on the ground. (Ding ding ding ding......hello?)

Another lesson in importance of thinking on your own and not depending on the authorities in Japan and elsewhere.

From Tokyo Shinbun Kanagawa version (7/28/2011):

腐葉土から放射性セシウムが検出された問題で、農林水産省が堆肥などの利用、流通の自粛を通知したことを受け、鎌倉市は二十七日、無料で行っていた市民への堆肥の配布を中止した。

After radioactive cesium was detected from the leaf compost, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries issued a notice to withhold use and shipment of compost on a voluntary basis. Accordingly on July 27, City of Kamakura stopped the distribution of free compost to the residents.

　市はごみの減量化と資源化のため、市民や植木業者などが出す樹木の剪定（せんてい）枝などを回収し、処理業者に委託して山梨県内で堆肥化している。

The city collects yard waste - pruned twigs and branches from the residents and commercial gardeners - in order to reduce and recycle waste. The yard waste is shipped to Yamanashi Prefecture and is composted there.

　剪定枝は年間で約一万千トン。できた堆肥の一部を市役所や行政センター、ごみ処理施設など市内八カ所で、市民に無料配布している。配布は昨年度で 約二千百トンに上っている。市は、国が堆肥の扱い基準を出すまでの間、配布の中止を決めた。中止は市のホームページで知らせている。

Such pruned twigs and branches amount to 11,000 tonnes per year. The compost is distributed free of charge to the residents at 8 locations in the city. Last year, 2,100 tonnes of compost were distributed. The city decided to stop the distribution until the national government comes up with a standard for compost, and notified the residents on the city's homepage.

　市は、市民が出す剪定枝は当面、回収を行うが、堆肥化は対応を検討中。また、堆肥に含まれる放射性セシウムについて独自に分析、調査を進めている。

For the time being, the city still collects the yard waste from the residents, but will decide what to do with the composting. The city is also doing its own analysis of the compost to see if radioactive cesium is detected.

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