Fukushima Prefecture's Latest "Decon" Technology: Leaf Collector

Sorry to bother you with another "high-tech" decon strategy coming out of Japan that makes you doubt the collective intelligence of the people in that island nation.

Fukushima Prefecture officials are ready to call "engine bloomer" - a leaf collector - as a powerful tool to decontaminate.

From Mainichi Shinbun Fukushima local version (12/11/2011):

県は芝生に積もった落ち葉を効率的に回収する除染技術実地試験を９日、白河市のしらさかの森スポーツ公園芝生広場で行った。

The prefectural government of Fukushima tested the decontamination technology to effectively collect fallen leaves on the lawn on December 9 in Shirasakanomori Sports Park in Shirakawa City.

　除染に役立つ技術の効果を確認するためにさまざまな方法を県内数カ所で実施している。この日は白河市の西牧植園（西牧拓人社長）が提案したドイツ製の落ち葉回収機を使った試験を行った。

The government is testing the effectiveness of various decontamination technologies in several locations in Fukushima. On December 9, they tested the German-made leaf collector proposed by a landscaping company in Shirakawa City.

　落ち葉回収機はプラスチック製のブラシを回転させて芝生から葉をかき出す「エンジンブルマー」という機械を使用。葉を集める力が大きく、樹木を傷つけにくいことから、芝生や果樹園などの除染に効果が期待されるという。

The leaf collecter is called "Engine Bloomer" which uses a rotating plastic brush to scrape leaves off the lawn. It has a big collecting power without damaging the trees, and it may be effective in decontaminating the lawn and orchards.

　試験では西牧社長らがエンジンブルマーを使って芝生に積もった枯れ葉を除去した。作業前には地上１センチで毎時０・４４マイクロシーベルトあった放射線量が作業後は０・２４マイクロシーベルトに低下。県はこの手法について除染アドバイザーの評価を受けた上で公開することにしている。

In the test, the president of the landscaping company removed the dead leaves on the lawn using the "Engine Bloomer". The radiation level 1 centimeter off the ground was 0.44 microsievert/hr before the test, which dropped to 0.24 microsievert/hr after the test. The Fukushima prefectural government will ask the decontamination advisor of the prefecture to evaluate this technology, and plans to make it public.

So, a leaf collector, by virtue of collecting the dead, radioactive leaves off the lawn, is called "decontamination technology". Just like a high-pressure washer is called exactly that because it washes the roof and the wall contaminated with radioactive materials.

Fukushima Prefecture's decon advisor is none other than Shunichi Tanaka, former Deputy Commissioner of the Nuclear Commission. The last I saw him on a Youtube video, he was telling the decon volunteers in Date City in November to use their own judgment whether to put on masks because the local residents didn't dress like these volunteers. Don't alarm the residents, he was basically saying, even though he was there to ensure the volunteers were protected from radiation exposure.

Now, you may ask why Fukushima Prefecture is doing all these bizarre "decon" experiments. Answer: to retain the residents. Why? Because if the residents move out of Fukushima permanently (i.e. removing the resident registers to other prefectures) the prefecture will lose grants from the national government, which are based on the number of residents in the prefecture. Less residents, less money for the Fukushima government. Less money for the government, less power for the politicians.

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