Monday, January 16, 2012

Fukushima: Radioactive Gravel in Apartment Construction Contaminates Kids


  • Not reported in the US press - radioactive construction materials are causing move-out of people from new construction after kids had more radiation than other kids in the neighborhood. Nobody knew this would be a problem. 

  • from 
  • http://www.scribblelive.com/Event/Japan_Earthquake5?Page=2870
  • @Edano, this'll probably just be the tip of an iceberg of irradiated construction material. Unless media attention stops it. I wonder how many of these cases were spotted by citizen Geiger counters.
    by Ian 5:11 AM

    • Irradiated gravel used for Fukushima condominium

      Officials in Fukushima Prefecture say they have detected high levels of radiation in a new building. They say a construction material may have been tainted with radioactive substances from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

      ...

      The city checked the condo for radiation in December after regular monitoring found that children living there had been exposed to higher levels of radiation than other children over a 3-month period.

      The city found that the radioactive cesium level on the first floor was 1.24 microsieverts per hour, which is higher than outside.

      ...gravel used on the first floor came from a stone-crushing site in Namie Town in an evacuation zone near the crippled plant.

      The city says it will ask the tenants of the first-floor apartments to move out and will interview the other residents.


      Sunday, January 15, 2012 22:48 +0900 (JST)
      www3.nhk.or.jp
      by Edano 5:07 AM
      • Concrete sold to over 200 firms may be tainted

        The Japanese government is investigating the distribution of crushed stones that may contain radioactivity from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. It has found that concrete made of the stones has been sold to more than 200 firms.

        ...
        The quarry operator says it shipped more than 5,000 tons of crushed stones to 19 firms in the weeks after the accident. The government has set no limit on radiation in stones and sand used for construction even after the nuclear accident.

        The company president told reporters on Monday that he never imagined that stones from his quarry would cause such a problem and that he wants to apologize to residents of the building for their exposure to radiation.

        The economy ministry says 2 of the 19 firms sold concrete made of the stones to more than 200 companies. It believes that the concrete was used in housing construction and on roads.

        Monday, January 16, 2012 13:54 +0900 (JST)
        www3.nhk.or.jp
        by Edano 5:02 AM









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      Radioactive Grasshoppers probably safe to eat, but exceeds govt standard for cesim. Eat bugs far away from the powerplant for least radiation.

      With a Geiger counter in his pocket, Mr. Fugo, along with two students, in October went to Iitate, a village located over 30 kilometers away from the nuclear plant and where hot spots of high radiation have been discovered. ...About 4,000 becquerels of radioactive cesium-134 and cesium-137 was detected in the grasshoppers, all 500 weighing a cumulative one kilogram. The levels far exceed Japan’s regulatory limit of 500 becquerels per kilogram.
      ...scientist thinks it is safe to eat the bugs because they are usually in snack-sized portions ... amount of cesium dropped considerably after going through the routine steps taken when preparing the insects for consumption.

      Hajime Fugo
      A locust.
      In contrast, radiation found in about 2,000 locusts collected further away, about 60 kilometers away from the plant, measured well below the government standard.

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