National News Fukushima cleanup crews cut corners

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Two construction joint ventures hired to wash radioactive substances off buildings in two Fukushima Prefecture communities in December allowed the tainted water to run off into street gutters, an Environment Ministry official said Jan. 8.

Although not illegal, the conduct of Taisei Corp., Maeda Corp. and other firms involved in the venture illustrates the types of corners that contractors cut in doing cleanup work.

A special law passed for the nuclear disaster makes dumping of contaminated substances into the environment punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to yen10 million. However, contractors are only asked to collect tainted runoff, with no penalty for failing to do so.

Recent media reports that contractors were possibly illegally dumping radiation-tainted waste into rivers and elsewhere in Fukushima Prefecture prompted the Environment Ministry's Fukushima office for environmental restoration to question managers of four joint ventures Jan. 7. (The Japan Times)

福島県内の除染作業で業者が手抜き

環境省は、福島県内の２つの町で12月に行なわれた除染で、排水を側溝に流すなど不適切な作業があったことが分かったと発表した。

Shukan ST: JANUARY 18, 2013

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