Fukushima Farmers to Flip the Soil, Sprinkle Zeolites and Potassium to Lower Radioactivity

And call it "decontamination".

Why do they keep disturbing the contaminated soil? Why do they insist on growing anything?

First from Mainichi Shinbun Fukushima local version on flipping the soil (2/3/2012):

農地の除染対策の一つとして検討されている「反転耕」の実演会が２日、いわき市大久町の水田であった。

On February 2, there was a demonstration of "flipping the soil" on the rice paddy in Oohisa-machi in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. Flipping the soil is one of the measures considered for decontaminating the farmland.

　反転耕は、水田などの表土と下層土を入れ替え、作物が放射性物質を吸収するのを抑える方法。大型農機４台を使って深さ約３０センチまで表土を掘り下げ、下層の土と入れ替える様子が公開された。

By flipping the soil so that the top soil and the subsoil get exchanged, the absorption of radioactive materials by the crops will be prohibited. In the demonstration, 30 centimeters of the top soil was dug up, and replaced with the subsoil using 4 large farm machines.

　県の担当者によると、１日に測定したこの水田の放射線量は０・３～０・４２マイクロシーベルトだったが、反転耕後の測定では０・２３～０・３マイクロシーベルトになり「効果があった」としている。

According to the official of the prefectural government, the air radiation level at this rice paddy on February 1 was between 0.3 to 0.42 microsievert/hour. After flipping the soil, it dropped to 0.23 to 0.3 microsievert/hour, which the official called it "a success".

　近所の農家など約１５０人が参加し、実演を見守った。農家からは「高価な農機が必要だ」「市全体の農地除染の計画が決まっていない中で、どう取り組むのか」などの声が出た。

150 farmers living nearby participated, watching the demonstration. They voiced concerns, saying "It will require expensive farm machines", "How are we supposed to do it when the city's plan for farmland decontamination is not there?"

Air radiation dropping from 0.3 to 0.42 microsievert/hour to 0.23 to 0.3 microsievert/hour is a success? 28% reduction for all the trouble, and radioactive materials will simply flow in from the surrounding mountains.

How are they supposed to do this "decontamination"? Well, farmers will do it with what small machines they have, and will not turn soil that deep if a council set up by Fukushima City has its way. Farmers will till the land like they always do every year, radioactivity or no, about 15 centimeter deep, as they sprinkle potassium and zeolites. And call it "decontamination".

Also from Mainichi Shinbun Fukushima local version (2/2/2012):

福島市と川俣町にある農地除染のあり方を検討する協議会が１日、同市内であり、２月～来年３月末に両市町の全ての田畑で除染することを確認した。国は、大型機械を使って表土と下層土を３０センチ入れ替える「反転耕」や「深耕」による方法しか除染費用を補助しない方針だが、「現実的ではない」として各農家が所有する農機具で耕起する方式を中心にする考えで一致した。

A council met on February 1 in Fukushima City to discuss how to decontaminate farmland in Fukushima City and Kawamata-machi, and confirmed that they would decontaminate all the farmland in both municipalities starting February 2012 and ending by the end of March next year. The national government's policy is to subsidize the decontamination methods of "flipping the soil" or "deep tilling" that use large equipment to replace 30 centimeter of top soil with the subsoil. However, the council dismissed these methods as "impractical", and instead would use the farm machines that the farmers already have and plow.

　両市町は昨秋、農地除染で連携することを決め、両市町と県、ＪＡ新ふくしまで構成する協議会を設立した。

The two municipalities decided to cooperate in decontaminating the farmland last fall, and set up a council made up of officials from both municipalities, Fukushima Prefecture, and JA Shin Fukushima.

　除染対象は、同町の計画的避難区域を除く水田２７２７ヘクタールと畑１５３３ヘクタール。放射性セシウムを吸着する「ゼオライト」やカリウムを散布後、農機具で耕起する。空間線量が高い地区や収穫された農産物から高い線量を検出した地区を優先する。

Decontamination will be done on all 2727 hectares of rice paddies and 1533 hectares of fields excluding the planned evacuation zone in Kawamata-machi (whose decontamination will be done by the national government). Farmers are to sprinkle zeolites and potassium, and plow the land with their farm equipment. Priority will be given to the areas with high air radiation levels and whose crops have been found with high level of radioactivity.

　この日は「大型機械は必要台数を確保できるのか」など、国が示した除染方法について疑問視する意見が続出。反転耕ではやせた土が上になり、数年にわたって生産が望めないことを心配する声もあった。費用負担については、国の補助金を原資とした県の交付金が使えるよう県や国に働きかけることも確認した。

On February 1, there were opinions voicing doubts over the decontamination methods shown by the national government. Not enough large equipment was one concern. Others said if the soil was flipped, then the poor soil would be on top, which would not be productive for years. As to the cost, the council would ask the prefectural government and the national government for the subsidy.

So, in Fukushima, almost everyone will effectively become radiation workers, like it or not, either by becoming decon workers to be preferentially hired by large general construction companies who will exclusively do the decon jobs in Fukushima, or by being farmers growing crops in Fukushima. As for the children of these parents who will "decontaminate" the land, Dr. Yamashita will be there to collect their data.

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