Wednesday, April 11, 2012

#Radioactive Japan: Noda Administration to Encourage Use of Recycled Cement From Disaster Debris in Public Works, Pay For Trips to Miyagi and Iwate

What will they think of next? (Anything but accurately measuring radiation levels and doing something about Fukushima I Nuke Plant, probably.)

From reading the Kyodo News article below, I don't get the feeling that this recycled cement use will be confined to public works in the disaster-affected areas.

From Kyodo News (4/11/2012):

公共事業でがれき処理促進 政府、取り組み強化へ'

Public works to promote disaster debris processing, the administration to push harder

 政府は11日、東日本大震災の被災地に防潮林や公園をつくったり、道路や港を整備したりする際、がれきのコンクリート片などを優先的に使う方針を固めた。再生セメントの使用を確約した企業に対し、公共事業の競争入札で優遇する仕組みも導入する。被災地以外での広域処理が難航していることを踏まえ、政府として取り組み強化の姿勢を打ち出すのが狙い。野田佳彦首相を議長とする2回目の関係閣僚会議を近く開き、方針を確認する

The government decided on a new plan on April 11 to give priority to using disaster debris including concrete bits when tsunami-control forests and parks are built and roads and ports are repaired [as part of the public works] in the areas affected by the March 11, 2011 earthquake/tsunami. The government will introduce a new competitive bidding scheme for public works that will give preference to companies who will promise the use of recycled cement. As the wide-area disposal of the debris outside the disaster-affected areas is proceeding with difficulties, the government wants to show its commitment [by introducing these plans]. The second meeting of the involved ministers, with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda as the chairman, will be held shortly, and the policy will be confirmed.

So the elected politicians in the National Diet won't matter, not even a Diet committee. The administration simply decides, and starts doing it.

And it is not even the full cabinet meeting of this administration. I believe there are only 4 or 5 ministers, including Prime Minister Noda, who are involved in this meeting.

In case you're wondering what "recycle cement" is, it's the cement that contains ashes from burning the debris. As long as the density of radioactive cesium in the final product is less than 100 bq/kg, the cement is good to use anywhere in Japan. Recycled cement is already being produced, using the ashes from incineration plants. Mix and dilute, that's the strategy.

And to further encourage more municipalities in Japan to accept the disaster debris, Goshi Hosono's Ministry of the Environment will subsidize trips to Miyagi and Iwate for the municipal officials and residents.

Yomiuri Shinbun (4/11/2012) reports that the Ministry of the Environment will cover the cost of:

  • hiring buses

  • lodging

  • renting the halls for meetings with the residents

  • fees for the lecturers at the meetings

The money will come from the current and future taxpayers, many of whom do not want to have disaster debris brought to their cities and towns. Ultimate insult.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have in the past, noticed that it is common for a cement factory to be situated close to nuclear power plants. Now I now why.

kintaman said...

Why not make new shoes for Noda and his friends using the recycled cement? Then a swimming lesson at the SFP soon after...

Apolline said...

OT, Ultraman, there was an earthquake (7.1 from USGS) in your region, did you feel it ?

I hope it's not the "big one" :-(

Consequence of the quakes in Sumatra and Mexico ?

Chibaguy said...

@Helios, we have these quakes a couple times a week and it is my understanding that a dormant fault has been activated. Unfortunately, daiichi is under the same fault.

As for this insult, this is as low as you can go (maybe). I can imagine Hosono standing by a pile a debris holding a perfect trophy stating it was made by someone in the disaster zone. Subsequently, he will ask if people think it is contaminated.

Not a blanket statement but for the most part one must throw everything closest to oneself to the curb and become an imbecile in order to advance in the current society. Not exclusive to Japan.

Anonymous said...

if you mixe with concrete the rods of the spent fuel pools, you can gradually get rid of the rods. Just mixe a little bit of rod so that the total radiation of the concrete is not too high. Noda administration would love this idea.

Anonymous said...

I'd encourage the use of recycled radioactive cement too, if it was about encasing politicians in it.

Apolline said...

To Chibaguy :

I think Ultraman lives in California, right ?

Anonymous said...

As Rage against the Machine would say " a bullet in the fucking head" its what Noda and the whole japanese government need right now... Fucking bastards !

Anonymous said...

Each day the actions taken seem to be slipping from accidental/ignorant to intentional/informed dispersal of radioactive materials all over the country of Japan.
"Share the pain" is apparently the chosen path. How was this decision by the governmental agencies involved, agreed upon ?
Subsidize Nuclear Industry,from cradle to grave.
Sure solves the problem posed by those pesky NIMBY folk and concerned citizens. Just in case you weren't downwind, we will provide plenty of ash, soil, food, and building materials for you to use and consume.
Is that about it?

Anonymous said...

Japan is Poisoning Other Countries By Burning Highly-Radioactive Debris
Posted on April 9, 2012 by WashingtonsBlog
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/04/japan-is-poisoning-other-countries-by-burning-highly-radioactive-debris.html

Anonymous said...

Ugghhh. "George Washington" guy's getting to be like you know who.

Anonymous said...

They have been doing this for some time but I believe the "Worlds Best Practice" would be to bury it not spread it.

Oh boy! Anyone know where I can get a cheap geiger counter?.

http://www.cement.org/waste/wt_apps_radioactive.asp
http://www.geopolymer.org/applications/geocistem
http://srnl.doe.gov/grout_present/2b_03_Egiebor.pdf

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