Japan to Create Nuclear Safety Agency under Ministry of Environment

What would that do? Probably it would make things worse. The Ministry of the Environment is one of the least powerful ministries with hardly any knowledge or expertise in nuclear energy or industry.



Goshi Hosono, PM Kan's assistant cum minister in charge of the Fukushima nuclear accident cum paymaster for the nuclear disaster compensation scheme that will help electric power companies who run nuke plants by capping the compensation, thinks that by putting the Nuclear Safety Agency under the Ministry of the Environment, the influence from, and collusion with, the nuclear industry will be lessened. (Hosono himself is a proponent of nuclear power, by the way.)



Well, what about safety? How would that be promoted, by putting the Agency under a ministry that has near-zero expertise and knowledge in nuclear power?



Remember also that it is the Ministry of the Environment who is very eager to raise the radiation limit of radioactive debris from 8,000 becquerels/kg to 100,000 becquerels/kg so that the debris can be burned at any facility anywhere in Japan and buried.



From Mainichi Shinbun (8/11/2011):

東京電力福島第１原発の事故を受け、原子力規制体制を抜本的に見直す新機関「原子力安全庁（仮称）」が、環境省の外局として設置されることが１１日決まった。原発を推進する経済産業省に安全規制官庁が属する長年のゆがみが解消される一方、霞が関では規模が小さな環境省の実行力や調整力には未知数の部分もある。



It was decided on August 11 that a new agency, Nuclear Safety Agency (temporary name) will be set up under the Ministry of the Environment. For a very long time, the regulatory agency for nuclear power, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, has been under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry which has promoted nuclear power. That awkward situation of having the regulator and the promoter of nuclear power in the same ministry will be dissolved by moving the agency to the Ministry of the Environment. However, the Ministry of the Environment is one of the smaller ministries, and it is unknown whether the ministry can exert any effective leadership in nuclear regulation.



　民主党の決定を受け、環境省には「心情的には反原発の職員が多い」「省内に原子力の専門家はほとんどいない」など戸惑いが広がった。環境省の職員は１２５８人（今年度）、予算規模も約２０００億円にすぎない。原子力安全庁には、経産省原子力安全・保安院や内閣府原子力安全委員会などから約５００人規模で加わるとみられ、「原子力ムラという独特の体質の集団でもあり、一つの組織として融合するには、１０年単位で時間がかかる。組織のバランスが崩れるのではないか」と心配する声があがる。



Upon hearing the decision by the Democratic Party of Japan (the ruling party), officials in the Ministry of the Environment are puzzled - "There are many here who are anti-nuke at heart", "We have hardly any experts in nuclear power". There are 1,258 personnel at the ministry, with the budget of only 200 billion yen [US$2.6 billion]. The Nuclear Safety Agency, which is to be newly created, will be staffed with 500 personnel from the METI's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and the Nuclear Safety Commission under the Cabinet Office. There are those who voice concerns: "The Agency will continue to have the "Nuclear Village" mentality. It may take decades for the two organizations to effectively merge. We are afraid the balance of power within the ministry will be disturbed."



　環境省はこれまで規制官庁として、公害問題などで「他省庁に嫌われる政府内野党の役割を果たしてきた」（幹部）自負を持つが、人員面、予算面から政府内の立場が強いとはいえず、他省庁との折衝で妥協を余儀なくされる場面も多かった。



The Ministry of the Environment prides itself in "acting as the opposition within the government" (according to senior officials of the ministry) in dealing with problems like pollution. However, it is not in a strong position within the government in terms of personnel and budget, and has often been forced to compromise in negotiation with the other more powerful ministries.



　また、現在は原発の専門家がほとんどいないうえ、大事件や事故発生時の緊急対応の経験が少ないことも弱みだ。



Also, the ministry has hardly any nuclear expert as of now, and they don't have experience in emergency response during a big accident.

The Mainichi article quotes a Tokyo University professor (in government administration) who says the Ministry of the Environment is not really detached from the nuclear power interest groups, because it has promoted the nuclear power as environmentally friendly, clean energy to counter the "global warming".

More about → Japan to Create Nuclear Safety Agency under Ministry of Environment

#Radiation in Japan: Practically Any Radioactive Debris Will Be Burned and Buried

when the Ministry of the Environment decides on the base plan after it runs the plan with the so-called experts that the ministry relies on (i.e. rubber-stamp).



Great leap forward in recovery and reconstruction.



From Yomiuri Shinbun (1:38AM JST 8/10/2011):

東京電力福島第一原発事故により放射性物質が付着したがれきや汚泥の焼却灰について、環境省は１０日、すべての焼却灰について技術的に埋め立ては可能とする処理方針の原案を公表した。



On August 10, the Ministry of the Environment made public the base plan for the ashes from burning the debris and sludge that contain radioactive materials from the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident. The plan would technically allow all the ashes to be buried.



同日開催された同省の有識者会議「災害廃棄物安全評価検討会」に示され、早ければ今月中に処理方針を固める。



The plan was given on the same day to the ministry's committee of experts to evaluate the safety of disaster debris disposal, and the ministry hopes to finalize the plan before the end of August.



　同省は６月、放射性セシウム濃度が１キロ・グラム当たり８０００ベクレル以下の場合、最終処分場に埋め立ててもよいとする方針を発表したが、８０００ベクレルを超える場合は一時保管を求め、最終的な処分方法を示していなかった。原案では、８０００ベクレル超の焼却灰を埋め立てる場合、地下水の汚染を防ぐために、セシウムと水が接触しない状況を作るか、適切に排水処理をする必要があると指摘。８０００～１０万ベクレルの焼却灰については、〈１〉雨水が入らない屋根付き処分場を用いる〈２〉耐久性がある容器に入れる〈３〉セメントを混ぜて固める――などの措置を求めた。



In June, the ministry announced that the ashes that test up to 8,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium can be buried in the final disposal facilities. It called for the temporary storage of the ashes that exceed 8,000 becquerels/kg but didn't specify the final disposal procedure. In the base plan announced on August 10, to bury the ashes whose radioactive cesium exceeds 8,000 becquerels/kg, some measures need to be taken to prevent radioactive cesium from making contact with ground water, or to process the runoff appropriately. For the ashes that measure 8,000 to 100,000 becquerels/kg, the plan calls for: 1) processing facilities with roofs; 2) durable containers; 3) mixing the ashes with cement to solidify.

The whole plan is moot, because, on the side, the ministry has already told municipalities that they can "mix and match" - burn radioactive debris and sludge with non-radioactive debris and sludge to lower the radiation below whatever the limit the ministry sets, which has been 8,000 becquerels/kg and now 100,000 becquerels/kg if the plan gets an approval from the expert committee. The ministry set the limit for Fukushima Prefecture, then notified other prefectures to "refer to the Ministry's instruction to Fukushima Prefecture and notify the municipalities accordingly".



The Ministry of the Environment, which is likely to be selected as the new regulatory authority over the nuclear industry in Japan, is not very known for timely disclosure of information online. This base plan, if it is announced on their site, is buried so well that I can't find it. The latest information on the earthquake/tsunami disaster debris is dated July 28, which specified the "temporary" storage of the ashes that exceed 8,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium.



It looks like the ministry is simply making this "temporary" storage into permanent.



Expertise to deal with anything radioactive is non-existent at this ministry. Good luck Japan.

More about → #Radiation in Japan: Practically Any Radioactive Debris Will Be Burned and Buried

#Radiation in Japan: Ashes With Up To 100K Becquerels/Kg Cesium May Be Buried, If Ministry of Environment So Decides

And it is likely that it will do so.

Do not believe for a moment it is only within Fukushima Prefecture, because it isn't. Prefectures and municipalities that have found radioactive cesium in the ashes in the household garbage incinerators have already adopted the Fukushima standard as their standard, due to the lack of specific guidance from the government addressed to their specific localities.

The Ministry of the Environment has already issued a guidance to mix the potentially radioactive debris with regular industrial waste and burn, so that the resulting ashes will test lower than 8,000 becquerels/kg cesium content. Now the limit will be 100,000 becquerels/kg; coupled with the mix and match operation, probably they can bury just about anything. Maybe even those radioactive debris and waste on Fukushima I Nuke Plant.

According to the Guardian article on July 13, the workers at Fukushima I Nuke Plant are still removing 23,000 firefighter suits discarded around the reactors, packing them up, and shipping to a nuclear waste disposal facility. Why bother?

Spread radiation with impunity!

From Jiji Tsushin (7/14/2011):

10万ベクレルまで大幅引き上げ＝福島の放射性がれき埋め立て基準－環境省

Limit for burying radioactive debris from Fukushima to be raised to 100,000 Becquerels/Kg - Ministry of the Environment

　環境省は14日、福島第1原発事故で放射性物質に汚染された恐れのある福島県内のがれきの焼却灰について、一般の最終処分場での埋め立てを認める放射性セシウム濃度の基準を、現在の1キロ当たり8000ベクレル以下から10万ベクレル以下まで引き上げる検討を始めた。同省の有識者会議で、地下水への汚染防止策を施すことなどで、安全に埋め立てができる条件を整理する。

Japan's Ministry of the Environment started the discussion on July 14 to raise the limit for radioactive cesium in the ashes from debris in Fukushima that are suspected to be radioactive in the wake of the Fukushima I Nuclear Plant accident. The current safety limit is 8,000 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium. The Ministry is considering to raise this limit to 100,000 becquerels/kg. The Ministry will call a meeting of experts to come up with the conditions for burying the ashes safely, such as measures to prevent groundwater contamination.

　同省は先月、8000ベクレル以下なら埋め立てを認め、このレベルを超えると処分場に一時保管する方針を示した。ただ、東京都や千葉県の一般ごみから、8000ベクレルを超える焼却灰が相次ぎ見つかっていることなどから、一時保管後の処分方法の検討を急ぐことにした。

Last month, the Ministry announced its policy to allow the burying of the ashes as long as they test 8,000 becquerels/kg and lower, and to temporarily store the ashes if they exceed that level. However, with discoveries of ashes from regular household wastes that exceed 8,000 becquerels/kg in Tokyo and Chiba, the Ministry has decided to speed up on the policy on the disposal after the temporary storage.

You can be assured that these experts would never object as a group. Probably there are one or two who will raise a token concern (that's their role), but the majority will give them assurance that it will be OK, and the Ministry will quote this expert group as the reason for its decision.

I will look up information on the final waste disposal plant specs in Japan.

I can almost bet there are no rubber liners or anything to prevent any leakage of toxic substance, not to mention radioactive waste that should be going to nuclear waste disposal facilities to begin with. Why do I think that way? Because if the so-called experts are thinking about putting in measures to prevent groundwater contamination, there is none, as of now.

More about → #Radiation in Japan: Ashes With Up To 100K Becquerels/Kg Cesium May Be Buried, If Ministry of Environment So Decides

Ministry of Environment Sets Radiation Standard for Ocean Water for Beach-Goers

The amount of iodine-131 in the seawater is to be less than 30 becquerels/liter, and radioactive cesium is to be less than 50 becquerels/liter (I assume it is the total of cesium-134 and -137) in order for the local municipalities to open their beaches.

The Ministry felt, no doubt, that it could set the limits very low because the tests done by the local governments showed there was no radioactive materials detected in the ocean water at the beaches, except one in Fukushima that detected 13 becquerels/liter of radioactive cesium.

These limits are lower than the legal density limits for radioactive materials in the exhaust water out of a nuclear power plant in a normal operation:

• Iodine-131: 40 becquerels/liter
• Cesium-134: 60 becquerels/liter
• Cesium-137: 90 becquerels/liter

They are also lower than the provisional limit for drinking water and milk for babies. By the way, did you know that the provisional standards for radioactive materials in water and milk for babies are HIGHER than those for the exhaust water from a nuclear plant?:

• Iodine-131: 100 becquerels/liter
• Cesium total: 100 becquerels/liter

Not to mention they are much lower than the provisional limits for drinking water and milk for the rest of the population:

• Iodine-131: 300 becquerels/liter
• Cesium (total): 200 becquerels/liter

The reasoning? Read the article I translated below, and be puzzled.

From Fukui Shinbun (6/23/2011):

環境省は２３日、全国の海水浴場など海や湖沼、河川にある遊泳場所（水浴場）を安全に利用できる目安とし て、放射性セシウム濃度は水１リットル当たり５０ベクレル以下、放射性ヨウ素は３０ベクレル以下とする指針値を策定した。適用は今夏限り。２４日に全都道 府県に通知する。

The Ministry of the Environment announced its guideline on June 23 regarding the safe use of bathing facilities at the ocean, lakes and rivers in Japan, setting the limits of radioactive materials in the water at 50 becquerels/liter for radioactive cesium and 30 becquerels/liter for radioactive iodine. This guidance will apply to this summer only. The Ministry will formally notify the prefectural governments on June 24.

...指針値は、放射性セシウムで１リットル当たり２００ベクレルという飲料水の暫定基準値より厳しい設定とな る。理由について環境省は「日常生活に不可欠な飲料水などと違い、海水浴などのレジャーは余暇を楽しむ選択的行為だから、被ばくは可能な限り小さく抑える のが望ましい」と説明している。

The guideline numbers are lower than the provisional safety limits on drinking water. The Ministry of the Environment explained the reasoning as "Unlike drinking water which is indispensable for daily life, the ocean bathing is a recreational activity that people choose to do. So, it is desirable to make the radiation exposure as small as possible."

　同省は水浴場開設の判断を自治体に委ねる考えだが、岩手、宮城両県は今夏、県内すべての水浴場開設を見送り、福島県は勿来を含め海水浴場を開設しない方針という。

The Ministry will leave the decision of whether to open the beaches to the local municipalities. Already, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures have decided not to open any beaches at all within the prefectures, and Fukushima Prefecture is not going to open any ocean beaches.

Well, WHAT ABOUT THE BEACH SAND? Has anyone measured the beach sand, with the equipment that can measure alpha, beta and gamma rays? People will sit on the beach, lie down on the beach for sun bathing. Bare feet and near-naked bodies. Hello? AND OCEAN SOIL?

Maybe it is safe to swim, but I wouldn't sun-bathe on the beach unless I hear someone actually tested the sand.

More about → Ministry of Environment Sets Radiation Standard for Ocean Water for Beach-Goers

#Radiation in Japan: Mix and Match, and Fukushima's Radioactive Debris Can Be Burned and Buried

"Radiation. If we all share it, there's nothing to fear."

Japan's Ministry of the Environment has decided, upon advice from the experts, that it is OK to burn the radioactive debris in Fukushima Prefecture and bury the ashes in the final processing plant as long as the burned ashes do not contain more than 8,000 becquerels per kilogram of radioactive materials, according to Yomiuri Shinbun (6/19/2011).

The paper also reports that the trick will be to "mix and match":

同省では、がれきと他の廃棄物を混ぜて燃やした場合、この基準を超えるケースは少ないと見ており、大半の焼却灰は埋め立てられることになった。

The Ministry believes that if the [radioactive] debris is burned with other wastes, there will be only a few cases in which this standard [of 8,000 becquerels/kg] will be exceeded. Thus, most of the ashes will be buried.

What happens if one of those rare cases happens and the ashes measure more than 8,000 becquerels/kg?

また、８０００ベクレルを超えた場合は、最終処分場や放射線を遮蔽できる施設で一時保管し、その後の処分方法については引き続き検討をする。焼却炉の集じ ん機から回収された微細な灰は、含まれる放射性物質が水に溶けやすいなどの理由から、基準にかかわらず一時保管の対象とする。

If [the ashes] exceed 8,000 becquerels/kg, they will be temporarily stored at the final processing plant or in a facility that could shield radiation, and the final disposal method will be further discussed. The fine ashes collected from the dust collectors of the incinerators will be stored temporarily regardless of the standard, because the radioactive materials in them are water-soluble.

Temporary storage means just that, temporary. They will wait long enough for people to forget (or give up), and they will bury those ashes too.

So spread the good word - radioactive debris can be burned and buried, as long as you mix with something else and "dilute" the radiation!

This is insanity. It reminds me of a satirical saying in Japan long time ago, meant as a joke:

赤信号、みんなで渡れば怖くない。
"Red light. If we all cross the street together, there's nothing to fear."

So now, in Japan,

放射能、みんなで浴びれば怖くない。
"Radiation. If we all share it, there's nothing to fear."

More about → #Radiation in Japan: Mix and Match, and Fukushima's Radioactive Debris Can Be Burned and Buried