Iwaki City, #Fukushima Will Start Burning the Contaminated Disaster Debris in the City in April

Not a problem, says the city. The debris from the natural disaster (earthquake, tsunami) was doused with radioactive fallout from Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

As I wrote earlier today, plutonium isotopes were found in Iwaki City on a metal plate that had been outside since March 11, 2011, and they were of Fukushima I Nuke Plant origin.

But the city will start burning in earnest in April so that the city is debris-free by the end of 2013.

The residents of the city don't seem totally on board, but just like Tokyo's governor and Shimada City's mayor, the Iwaki City's unnamed officials (in the article below) say the city will do it anyway.

Fukushima Minpo (3/22/2012):

震災がれきを本格焼却へ　いわき市「線量、問題なし」と判断　

Iwaki City will burn the disaster debris in earnest, "Radiation level is not a problem"

いわき市は平成２４年度、東日本大震災のがれきの本格焼却を開始する方針を固めた。２月に実施した試験焼却の結果、放射線の値に問題がないと判断した。地区住民の代表らへの説明などをした上で、早ければ４月中に市の北部、南部両清掃センターで焼却を始める。

Iwaki City has decided to start the burning of the disaster debris from the March 11, 2011 earthquake/tsunami in the fiscal 2012 [that starts on April 1]. The city conducted the test burn in February, and decided there was no problem with the radiation level. After explaining to the local residents, the city will start burning the debris in the city's two waste disposal plants in April.

　市によると、焼却処理が必要な災害がれきは約４万トンで、本格焼却が始まれば２５年度内にも処理が完了するという。
　試験焼却は２月１６～２２日まで南部清掃センターで実施。通常の生活ごみに８・８％の割合で災害がれきを混ぜ、計約８６０トンを焼いた。排ガス、飛灰、主灰の放射線量、敷地内や周辺の空間線量を計測した結果、生活ごみだけを燃やした場合と比較して高い値は出なかったという。測定結果は市のホームページで公表している。

Iwaki City has about 40,000 tonnes of disaster debris that needs incineration. If the incineration starts in earnest, the debris will be disposed of completely in the fiscal 2013, according to the city. The test burn was conducted from February 16 to 22 at the Nanbu waste disposal center. Disaster debris was mixed with the regular household garbage at 8.8%, and 860 tonnes of this mixed waste was burned. Radiation levels of exhaust gas, fly ashes, and main ashes were measured, and the air radiation levels inside the compound and in the surrounding levels were measured. The levels were not significantly higher than when only the household garbage was burned. The results of the measurements are published on the city's website.

　これまでは、反対する住民の声があったことなどから、本格焼却には至っていなかった。市の担当者は「焼却しなければ市民生活に支障が出る。（住民から）１００％の同意を得ることは難しいかもしれないが、最終的には行政責任で実施したい」としている。

So far, because of the opposition from the residents, the disaster debris in the city hasn't been burned in earnest. The person in charge at the city government says, "Unless we burn, daily lives of the citizens will be negatively impacted. It may be difficult to obtain the unanimous consent from the residents, but ultimately we will carry out [the burn], and the city will take responsibility."

Well if that's the case, what is your name, Mr. Anonymous at the Iwaki municipal government in charge of contaminated debris burning?

As of February 2012, 8,500 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was still found in the fly ashes at the incineration plants in the city, and that was just household garbage.

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