#Radioactive Japan with No Money Part 1: Chiba's Kashiwa City Mayor to Have Residents Decontaminate, Says "It's a Great Learning Opportunity"

It all boils down to the governments of all sizes in Japan not having the rainy-day funds they could spend. They don't have any savings (budget surplus) at all, and the borrowed money they are willing to spend is on "decontamination" and "sharing the pain" by spreading disaster debris, both of which have been contracted out to the largest general contractors in the nation.

First, the mayor of Kashiwa City in Chiba Prefecture in the high-radiation Tokatsu area where over 650,000 Bq/kg of radioactive cesium was found in the soil (dry) in the city-owned land in the storm drain in October last year has decided that the "decontamination" effort in his city is to be done by the residents themselves. Yes, the city will help, by providing promotional videos.

Mayor Akimoto, 44-year-old ex-Bain management consultant, says, "In order to eradicate the fear of radiation, it's best that the residents themselves do the decontamination and experience firsthand what radiation is about." According to the mayor, it is a learning opportunity for the residents, and decontaminating one's own home is just a light work.

Talk about a spin by a management consultant. What Kashiwa City has is "contamination from radiation", not "fear of radiation".

From Tokyo Shinbun Chiba Local Version (11/23/2012):

民有地除染「市民で」　柏市長方針　来月に支援強化

Kashiwa City Mayor's policy is for the city residents to decontaminate privately-owned properties, extra support starting next month

柏市の秋山浩保市長は二十二日の記者会見で、住宅など民有地の除染問題について「放射線不安の払拭（ふっしょく）には市民に実感していただくことが大切」と述べ、業者などを派遣せず市民の手による除染を進める方針をあらためて示した。市は十二月から道具の貸し出しや除染方法を説明する映像の公開などを通じ、除染支援を強化する。

In the press conference on November 22, Mayor Hiroyasu Akiyama of Kashiwa City said about the decontamination of privately-owned properties such as houses, "In order to eradicate the fear of radiation, it is important for the residents to have firsthand experience", stressing again his policy to proceed with the decontamination by the residents instead of using contractors.

　民有地除染をめぐっては、県内で汚染状況重点調査地域に指定された九市のうち、松戸、流山、野田、我孫子、印西、白井の六市が業者派遣など市主体の除染を実施している。柏市も同様の対応を求める声があったが、国の財政支援の対象が不十分で効果が見込めないことなどを理由に、市民主体で進める考えを示していた。

In Chiba Prefecture, 9 cities have been designated as "areas that need special attention to the contamination", and 6 of them, Matsudo, Nagareyama, Noda, Abiko, Inzai, Shiroi, are employing businesses to do the decontamination. There were people who asked for the same approach in Kashiwa City, but [the mayor] said his intention was to have the city residents to do the decontamination, because the financial support from the national government would not be enough.

　秋山市長は会見で、住宅周りの除染は市民で可能な軽作業と指摘し、「除染は放射線の知識を深めるチャンス。イメージではなくきちんと理解してほしい」と協力を求めた。

In the press conference, Mayor Akiyama pointed out that the decontamination of one's home is a light work that residents can do themselves, and asked for cooperation. "Doing the decontamination is a great opportunity to deepen one's knowledge of radiation. I would like [the city residents] to fully understand [by experience], instead of understanding as a concept."

　除染方法の映像は十二月一日から市ホームページで公開する。

The video of how to decontaminate will be available in the city's homepage starting December 1st.

What neither the mayor nor the residents acknowledge is that Kashiwa City has no money. Only 60% of the city budget is funded by tax revenue (still better than the national government budget, 50% of which is funded by tax revenue), and the rest comes from government subsidies and municipal bonds.

If a favorite refrain of many in Japan, "National debt? We owe it to ourselves, not a problem", is true, well, print away. Debt does not matter, right?

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Professor Yukio Hayakawa Takes a "Radioactive Walk" In Abiko City and Kashiwa City in Chiba

The Gunma University professor took a walk in part of Abiko City and Kashiwa City, in the so-called "Tokatsu area" in the northwest corner of Chiba Prefecture with elevated radiation levels.

He says there is a statistically significant difference between the radiation levels on the ground levels and the levels at 1 meter off the ground, with the levels at 1 meter off the ground 20 to 30% less than at the ground levels.

The radiation levels of "black dust" he found along the way (in microsievert/hour):

2.676
3.767
2.489
1.556

Professor Hayakawa's walk from Abiko City to Kashiwa-no-ha in Kashiwa City on April 16, 2012:

我孫子-柏の葉

EveryTrail - Find hiking trails in California and beyond

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Prof. Yukio Hayakawa's Walk with his Survey Meter in Nagareyama-Kashiwa in Chiba Prefecture

流山-柏　garmin at EveryTrail

Radiation levels remain elevated in Kashiwa City in Chiba Prefecture. It was in Kashiwa that 450,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was found from the soil near the drain in the public space in the middle of the city. There is a strange (to me anyway) collaboration between the city and the citizen volunteers to decontaminate the city.

Before the Fukushima I Nuke Plant accident, the background radiation level in Kashiwa City must have been no higher than the average in Chiba, which was 0.03 microsievert/hour (see this site). Now, as Professor Hayakawa's walk shows, it is 10 times that in many locations. Contrary to a belief by some in Japan that there was no radioactive plume that went south from Fukushima through Ibaraki to Chiba, Tokyo and Kanagawa, these elevated radiation levels in Kashiwa City are the evidence that the plume did in fact come.

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#Radiation in Japan: 450,000 Bq/Kg Cesium from Dirt in Kashiwa City, Chiba

It's the number you may expect to see in the most contaminated area inside Fukushima Prefecture, like Namie-machi, which is a focus of Asahi Shinbun's "Trap of Prometheus".

But no, this is in Chiba Prefecture, and Kashiwa City is just outside of Tokyo.

Yomiuri Shinbun (11/28/2011) reports:

千葉県柏市の市有地で局所的に高い放射線量が検出された問題で、環境省は２８日、地表から深さ５～１０センチの地層で１キロ・グラムあたり最高約４５万ベクレルの放射性セシウムを検出したと発表した。

Regarding the localized high radiation spot in the city-owned land in Kashiwa City in Chiba Prefecture, the Ministry of the Environment announced on November 28 that the maximum 450,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was detected in the soil 5 to 10 centimeters deep from the surface.

　調査は今月１、２日に実施された。同省は「東京電力福島第一原発事故で放出された放射性物質が蓄積している可能性が高い」と指摘。セシウムを含む雨水が側溝側面の破損した部分から浸透し、放射性物質の濃度が増したとみている。同省は追加調査を行い、汚染範囲などを推定する。

The survey was conducted on November 1 and 2. The Ministry says it is highly likely that the radioactive materials released from the Fukushima I Nuclear Plant accident have accumulated. The rainwater containing radioactive cesium seeped through the broken side wall of the drain, and increased the density of radioactive materials. The Ministry plans to conduct additional survey, and estimate the size of the contaminated area.

　柏市が１０月に発表したこの地層近くの調査結果では、最高で同約２７万ベクレルの放射性セシウムが検出されている。

In the October survey by Kashiwa City of the nearby location, maximum 270,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was detected from the soil.

Information about 276,000 becquerels/kg soil in Kashiwa City is in my post here.

Kashiwa City has the details in Word file, on this page (2nd and 3rd files from the document list in the middle of the page). They still only measure cesium-134 and cesium-137. No strontium 89/90, no plutonium or other nuclides such as silver-110m which is increasingly being detected in spider, cow, and abalone.

Natural concentration does wonders, turning Kashiwa and potentially anywhere in Kanto or Tohoku into the evacuation zone-level contamination. Unlike Fukushima's evacuation zone where the national government has said (at least) they will be responsible for the "decontamination", people are on their own cleaning up the radioactive mess elsewhere.

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#Radiation in Japan: 80 to 120 Microsieverts/Hr Bush in Koriyama City, Fukushima

It's been over 7 months since the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident started, and it does look like natural concentration of radioactive materials may be happening in eastern Japan.

57.5 microsieverts/hour radiation from the soil in the city-owned land in Kashiwa City, Chiba sounded extraordinarily high when first reported, but maybe not so.

Fukushima Chuo Television (FCT) reported that the radiation level near the ground in a bush right by the railroad station was found to be 80 to 120 microsieverts/hour in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture.

It is also possible that the radiation on that particular spot has always been high, and is being discovered only now, as more citizens are armed with personal survey meters measuring everywhere.

Koriyama City is 60 kilometers west of Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. Kashiwa City is 200 kilometers south, in the Tokyo Metropolitan suburb.

From FCT news (10/27/2011):

きょう午後、ＪＲ郡山駅前の植え込みの土から、１時間あたり８０マイクロシーベルトを超える放射線量が計測されました。

This afternoon, radiation exceeding 80 microsieverts/hour was detected from the soil near the roadside bush near the JR Koriyama station.

　高校生などが通学で利用する場所で、早急な現地からの除去が求められます。

High school students use the road for commuting. Immediate decontamination is desirable.

　きょう午後、ＪＲ郡山駅西口にある植え込みの土から、高い放射線量が確認されたとＦＣＴに情報が寄せられました。

This afternoon, a viewer informed FCT that a high level of radiation was confirmed on the soil near the bush located near the west entrance of JR Koriyama station.

　ＦＣＴが現地で計測したところ、地上から５センチほどのところでは、最大で１時間あたり８０マイクロシーベルトを計測しました。

FCT went and measured the radiation, and it was maximum 80 microsieverts/hour at 5 centimeters off the ground.

　また、ＪＲの職員が個人で持っていた線量計で調べたところ、１２０マイクロシーベルトの高い放射線量であることがわかりました。

Also, when we measured the same spot with a personal survey meter of a JR personnel, it registered 120 microsieverts/hour.

　高い値の放射線量が確認された場所は、土の色が変わっていて、線量が高いのもこの場所だけとみられています。

The soil at this location looks to have a different color [from the soil in the area nearby], and it is considered that the high radiation is only at this location.

　現場は駐輪場近くにあり、通学の高校生などが数多く通ることから、早めの処理が待たれます。
　郡山市は現地に職員を送り、詳しく調査しています。

The location is near the bicycle parking lot, and many high school students use the road. The quick response from the authorities is desired. Koriyama City is sending the city personnel to investigate further.

If someone stays on that spot with 80 microsieverts/hr 24 hours a day for one year, the external radiation would be 700 millisieverts.

By mentioning the soil is in a different color, FCT may be indicating that someone brought the highly contaminated soil and dumped it there. It could be. But that was the suspicion for the Kashiwa City's spot, too, which proved to have been wrong.

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Ministry of Education's Quick Learning Curve on Kashiwa's Radioactive Dirt

First it was "it cannot be from Fukushima I Nuke Plant" when the radiation measured was 57.5 microsieverts/hour.

Then it was "it may be from Fukushima I Nuke Plant, and it may not be" when the density turned out to be 276,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium. But since the density was very high, the suspicion was voiced all around (including me) that someone secretly dumped the radioactive sludge or dirt, possibly from cleaning out his yard, onto that location.

The Ministry's current position: "It is highly likely that radioactive cesium is from Fukushima I Nuke Plant, and radioactive cesium has been condensed at that particular location because the storm drain nearby was broken."

So radioactive cesium from Fukushima I Nuke Plant has been naturally concentrated by elements, 200 kilometers away from the plant, to the density level on par with those found in Fukushima. The Kashiwa City's dirt contains almost as much radioactive cesium in the dirt in the location in Watari District (link is in Japanese) in Fukushima City where 300,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was found (also near the drain).

Points from the Ministry's announcement on October 23, 2011 "Result of the investigation of Kashiwa City's location with high air radiation" (my translation, not the Ministry's):

On receiving the result of the soil analysis on October 22 where maximum 276,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium was detected, the Ministry sent two officials, along with three experts from Japan Atomic Energy Agency on October 23 to Kashiwa City to consult with the local officials in charge of radiation countermeasures.

The Ministry's survey of the location included measuring air radiation levels at the location and nearby, and investigating the surroundings to figure out what caused the high radiation level.

Survey result:

• Maximum 2.0 microsieverts/hour 1 meter off the ground
• Maximum 4.5 microsieverts/hour 50 centimeter off the ground
• Maximum 15 microsieverts/hour on the ground

Typical air radiation levels in the surrounding area at 1 meter off the ground was 0.3 microsievert/hour.

A 50-centimeter wide breach was found in the side drain (30-centimeter deep) next to the location with the high air radiation. This breach was close to the spot where cesium-134 (half life 2 years) was detected. We therefore presume that the rainwater containing radioactive cesium that came from the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident flowed in from the breach in the side drain, and radioactive cesium was condensed and accumulated in the soil at that particular location.

Asahi Shinbun (10/23/2011) has the picture of the broken side drain.

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Kashiwa City's High Radiation Dirt: Natural Concentration?

57.5 microsieverts/hour radiation on the dirt in Kashiwa City that has maximum 276,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium of Fukushima origin was caused by natural concentration by rainwater flowing into the particular location, according to the city who's having a press conference on the scene.

According to the Ministry of Education and Science, there is a drain that collects rain water at that particular location and the drain broke for some unknown reason, contaminating the location.

Really? 57.5 microsieverts/hour?

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Kashiwa City's Radioactive Dirt: 276,000 Bq/Kg of Cesium

The highly radioactive dirt in Kashiwa City in Chiba, which measured 57.5 microsieverts/hr 30 centimeters below the surface, was not from radium after all or any other nuclides that are used in industrial or medical use (some suggested cobalt-60, for example). It was from radioactive cesium.

On October 22 Kashiwa City announced the result of the analysis of three dirt samples from the location at different depth (one on the surface, two at 30 centimeter deep). The analysis was done on October 22. The unit is becquerels per kilogram:

Sample A (surface dirt)

Radioactive iodine: ND
Cesium-134: 70,200
Cesium-137: 85,100
Total cesium: 155,300

Sample B1 (30 centimeters below the surface)

Radioactive iodine: ND
Cesium-134: 87,000
Cesium-137: 105,000
Total cesium: 192,000

Sample B2 (30 centimeters below the surface)

Radioactive iodine: ND
Cesium-134: 124,000
Cesium-137: 152,000
Total cesium: 276,000

The address of the location is announced by the city as: 柏市根戸字高野台457番3地先. According to the residents, the place is a strip of open space between the residential area and the industrial area, and is used as playground by many residents, young and old.

On receiving the result of the analysis, the Ministry of Education and Science, who had expressed doubt that this high radiation spot in Kashiwa had anything to do with the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident, now says it cannot deny that it is the result of the accident. The ratio of cesium-134 and cesium-137 is consistent with the radio from the accident.



Some speculate that someone in the city cleaned out his house and dumped the resulting radioactive sludge and dirt in this location.

What I find it odd is the mismatch of the radiation on the dirt surface, 57.5 microsieverts/hour, and the density of radioactive cesium, maximum 276,000 becquerels/kilogram. The density is too low to account for the extremely high radiation. Cesium alone may not account for the high radiation, but There's no mention in the city's announcement whether it is going to test for other gamma nuclides not to mention alpha and beta.

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57.5 Microsieverts/Hr in Kashiwa City, Chiba

After the Setagaya-ku, Tokyo's radiation scare turned out to be radium, what could this be this time in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, where the radiation level remains elevated?

From Nikkei Shinbun (11:24PM JST 10/21/2011):

千葉県柏市は21日、同市根戸の市有地で毎時57.5マイクロシーベルトの高い放射線量を計測したと発表した。原因は不明だが計測値が極端に高いため「福島第１原子力発電所事故の影響とは考えにくい」（総務部）としている。

Kashiwa City in Chiba Prefecture announced on October 21 that the very high radiation of 57.5 microsieverts/hour was detected on the land owned by the city in Nedo District. The cause of the high radiation is unknown. Since the measured number is extremely high, "It is hard to believe this is from the Fukushima I Nuclear Plant accident", says the city's general affairs department.

　現場は更地で、57.5マイクロシーベルトは地表から30センチ程度掘ったところで計測。10メートル離れると毎時0.3マイクロシーベルトまで低下した。市は半径３メートル以内を立ち入り禁止にし、24日以降に土の除去などを進める方針。

It is a vacant lot, and 57.5 microsieverts/hour radiation was detected 30 centimeter below the surface of the ground. The radiation dropped to 0.3 microsievert/hour at 10 meters from the spot. The city has designated the 3-meter radius from the spot as off-limit, and is planning to remove the soil sometime after October 24.

　18日に市民から高い放射線量を計測したとの連絡を受け調査した。

The city had received information from a citizen on October 18 that there was a high radiation spot, and the city tested on its own.

The city's announcement is here (in Japanese). According to the announcement,

• The city received a telephone call on October 18 from the neighborhood association that there was a high radiation spot;

• On October 19, the city measured the radiation at the location which is owned by the city. Radiation exceeding 10 microsieverts/hour was measured at a particular spot;

• On October 20, with the officials of the neighborhood association present, the city measured the radiation again. The radiation survey meter of the city couldn't not measure over 10 microsieverts/hour;

• On October 21, the city asked the Chiba Prefectural Environment Foundation to measure the radiation. After digging the soil at the location, maximum 57.5 microsieverts/hour at 30 centimeters below the surface was confirmed.

The yellow marker is where the spot is (from a tweet by a resident):

It's a thin strip of land in the middle of residential/commercial mixed neighborhood.

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#Radiation in Japan: 70,800 Becquerels/kg Cesium from Burning Household Waste at Kashiwa City, Chiba

Only yesterday (July 9), the officials of this city in Chiba, which has had consistently elevated levels of radiation since the Fukushima accident, announced they had detected radioactive cesium in the ashes after burning the household garbage at its waste processing plants. Over 8,000 becquerels/kg (threshold above which they cannot bury the ashes) but only slightly over 10,000 becquerels/kg.

Wrong.

One day later on July 10, the city announced it was 70,800 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium from the ashes.

Oops.

From Mainichi Shinbun (7/10/2011):

千葉県柏市は１０日、市内の清掃工場で発生した焼却灰から、１キログラム当たり７万ベクレルを超える放射性セシウムを検出したことを明らかにした。東京電力福島第１原発事故の影響とみられ、焼却灰の埋め立てを６月末から中止している。現状では、約２カ月で灰の保管スペースがなくなり、一般家庭などからの可燃ごみの受け入れが不可能になると予想される。

Kashiwa City in Chiba Prefecture disclosed on July 10 that the radioactive cesium exceeding 70,000 becquerels/kg has been detected from the burned ashes at the city's waste processing plant. It is considered to be the result of the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident, and the city has halted burying the ashes since the end of June. At the current rate, the city will run out of space to store the ashes, and it won't be able to accept the household trash.

　国は６月、同８０００ベクレル以上の焼却灰は埋め立てず、一時保管するよう指針を定めたが、一時保管後の処分方法は決めていない。同市は週明けにも国に対し（１）埋め立て可能な最終処分の新基準策定（２）一時保管場所の確保（３）処分費用の全額国庫負担－－を緊急要望する方針という。

The national government set the guideline in June to temporarily store the ashes that tested 8,000 becquerels/kg [of cesium] or more, but there is no guideline as to what to do with the ashes after the temporary storage. The city plans to ask the national government to: 1) come up with a new standard for the final burial; 2) secure the space for temporary storage; 3) fully pay for the disposal cost.

　同市によると、公園や一般家庭の庭などで放射線量を下げる目的で、草刈りや樹木の枝・葉の剪定（せんてい）を実施し、可燃ごみとして清掃工場へ持ち込まれたため、数値が上がった可能性があるという。

According to the city, it is possible that the number was high because the residents cut grasses and clipped leaves and branches in their backyards trying to lower the radiation level and they were sent to the plants as burnable waste.

　２カ所の清掃工場のうち、６月下旬から７月上旬まで３回の検査の最大値は南部クリーンセンターで同７万８００ベクレル、北部クリーンセンターで同９７８０ベクレル。両センターの焼却灰の最終処分場で同４万８９００ベクレルだった。

The city has two waste processing plants. The highest radiation of 70,800 becquerels/kg was measured at the Nanbu (southern) Clean Center in the three tests done since the end of June. At the Hokubu (northern) Clean Center, it was 9,780 becquerels/kg. When the ashes from the two plants were combined at the final disposal facility, it was 48,900 becquerels/kg.

　同市は１日平均２８０トンの可燃ごみを２清掃工場で受け入れ、同２１．３トンの焼却灰を最終処分場に埋め立てている。

The city accepts the average of 280 tonnes per day of burnable waste at its two waste processing plant, and buries the average of 21.3 tonnes of burned ashes at the final disposal facility.

Kashiwa City's website doesn't have any news or data on the radioactive ashes at its waste processing plants, and the last update of the Nanbu Clean Center web page was done on March 29.

If Koto-ku (in Tokyo) 's sludge plant is any example, the radioactive cesium from the burned trash may have been contaminating the downwind areas in Kashiwa City, a secondary contamination.

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