#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.

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