Excessive cesium found in burned industrial waste in 3 prefs.
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Radioactive cesium in excess of the benchmark of 8,000 becquerels per kilogram was discovered in ashes and dust from industrial waste incinerators in six locations in Iwate, Fukushima and Chiba prefectures, the Environment Ministry said Thursday.
Among 110 industrial waste disposal facilities covered as samples in 16 prefectures in eastern and northeastern Japan, the cesium reading stood at 10,800 to 144,200 becquerels at four in Fukushima, 23,000 becquerels at one in Iwate and 11,500 becquerels at one in Chiba, it said.
A similar study found in late August that ashes from nonindustrial incinerators were polluted with over 8,000 becquerels of cesium per kg in Tokyo and six prefectures. A worker exposed daily to 8,000 becquerels of cesium would still not exceed the annual radiation exposure limit of 1 millisievert.
At the end of August, the ministry decided to get local authorities to solidify with cement incinerated dust and ashes containing 8,000 to 100,000 becquerels of cesium per kg and cover them with watertight sheeting before they are buried in the ground.
As for those with more than 100,000 becquerels, the ministry made it possible to bury them after the level of cesium falls below the mark by solidifying them with cement.
It earlier decided to allow those containing up to 8,000 becquerels to be buried in waste disposal sites only if residential houses are not built there in the future.
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