Radiation Levels in Fukushima Forests Drop 50%

Forum Contacts RSS		RUSSIAN

Radiation Levels in Fukushima Forests Drop 50% – Report

RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED 12.05.2014

Levels of radioactive contamination in forests surrounding Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant have dropped by half over the last two years, the NHK channel reported Monday.

According to local authorities, the average annual level of radiation in the forests after the disaster at the power plant amounted to 0.91 microsieverts per hour, while the latest measurements showed only 0.44 microsieverts per hour.

Fukushima prefecture authorities underlined that radioactive contamination could have a significant impact on the productivity of forest resources management as workers abandon their lots over fears of radiation.

The measurements were made at over 350 sites in Fukushima’s forestland. The level of radiation is expected to drop by an additional 30 percent in the next 20 years.

Last month, residents of some areas surrounding Fukushima started returning to their houses following a lift of an evacuation order and a drop in radiation levels.

In March 2011, Japan was hit by a massive magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, claiming more than 15,000 lives and causing a number of explosions at the Fukushima plant. In what has been dubbed the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, three of the plant’s reactors underwent a partial meltdown as radiation leaked into the atmosphere, soil and seawater. One of the main problems at the Fukushima now is the continuing leakage of radioactive water. Full liquidation of the disaster’s consequences would take approximately 40 years.

Topics: NPP Fukushima Daiichi

Other news:

Hungary Enacts Law to Expand Nuclear Power With Russian Aid

Hungary’s president has signed a bill into law to expand a nuclear power plant in the country with Russian assistance.

Hungary Lawmakers OK Russia Nuclear Plant Deal

Russia will provide Hungary a loan of up to 10 billion euros ($13.5 billion) - around 80 percent of construction costs.

Russia to Lend Hungary $13.7Bln for Nuclear Plant

The deal was announced during a state visit to Moscow by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and was hailed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Hero of the day

Questions for Jerry Hopwood

We are currently working with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) on this approach, which was submitted in response to their February 2012 call for alternative proposals. We appreciate that the UK is in the early stages of their policy development activities and are pleased to be involved in such important work.

INTERVIEW

Yanko Yanev
Unfortunately, we live in this age of narrow political thinking. Each of our politicians think how to survive, whether he will be the next convocation of the parliament or the government or not.

OPINION

Joint Plan of Action
The goal for these negotiations is to reach a mutually-agreed long-term comprehensive solution that would ensure Iran's nuclear programme will be exclusively peaceful. Iran reaffirms that under no circumstances will Iran ever seek or develop any nuclear weapons.