A visit of Rafael Grossi its objective ensure “Fukushima’s restorationincluding the dismantling of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear center and the control of the contaminated soil removed. “
The head of the Atomic International Energy Agency (AIEA) began a visit to Japan on Wednesday, which will take him to the damaged Fukushima Center to monitor soil decontamination, while the site is being dismantled.
Rafael Grossi, who visits Japan for the fifth time, is expected to visit temporary storage facilities (ISF) for first time contaminated soil on Wednesday.
“As Japan embarks on a gradual return of nuclear energy to its energy matrix, it is important that this be done with total safety and with the confidence of society,” said Grossi, quoted by France-Presse (AFP).
UN agency leader met with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwayaa, who announced that Tokyo would make 14 million euros available For programs in Ukraine and other countries, including to improve cancer diagnosis.
Decontamination in the province of Fukushima
Almost 13 million cubic meters of soil, equivalent to about 4,300 Olympic pools, and 300,000 cubic meters of waste from the incineration of organic matter were removed under the scope of activities Decontamination in the province of Fukushima.
The visit of the Argentine aims to ensure “Fukushima’s restorationincluding the dismantling of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Center and the control of contaminated soil removed, “explained a source from the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Waste is being stored in a temporary installation that covers an area of 16 square kilometers (km²), extending to the neighboring cities of the Okuma and Futaba Nuclear Center.
Japanese authorities plan recycle about 75% do only contaminated -Those with low radioactivity levels-Using it, if confirmed as safe, for civil engineering structures, as landfills for roads and rails.
The soil that cannot be recycled is expected to be discarded until the deadline of 2045and Tokyo plans to confirm the selection of the site and the process of destruction this year.
Soil decontamination work, decided after the disaster of March 11, 2011 and had not been carried out after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, were performed at more than 9,000 km², or 40 municipalities.
The land removal method “was very effective in limiting (radioactive) transfers Because the areas most linked to watercourses were decontaminated, “explained Olivier Evrard.
In September, AIEA considered that “Japan’s approach to the recycling and elimination of soils and radioactive waste from decontamination activities” was aligned with the organization’s safety standards.
Increase “transparency” In the process of liberating water treated in the sea
During Grossi’s visit, experts from AIEA and various countries, including China and South Korea, will also collect seawater and fish water samples “to increase transparency” in the sea -treated water release process , guaranteed AFP another authority of the Japan energy agency.
TEPCO, operator of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Center, has begun to dismantle treated water tanks to free space for nuclear waste storage.
After the huge tsunami, triggered by an earthquake of magnitude 9.0, Tepco kept about 1.3 million tons of contaminated water — rain, groundwater and seawater — on site, as well as water needed to cool the reactors.
This water, treated by the Advanced Liquid Treatment System (ALPS) system to reduce its radioactivity, remains stored in More than a thousand tanks who currently occupy most of the central terrain.
The dismantling of the reservoirs became possible with the beginning of the eviction of water in the Pacific Ocean in August 2023. Japan and the AIA guarantee that This water does not harm the environment.
