Japan to reuse Fukushima decontamination soil in regional cities

The Japanese government has decided to begin reusing soil generated from decontamination efforts following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in regional cities outside of Tokyo. The program will first implement the reuse of soil in flowerbeds at government buildings in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, and Saitama City.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, the soil being used has radioactivity levels below standard values. To prevent the scattering or runoff of particles from wind and rain, the soil is covered with additional earth, which provides more than 90 percent radiation shielding.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated that reusing the soil is essential to meeting the government's goal of completing the final disposal of the decontamination soil outside of Fukushima Prefecture by March 2045. Officials emphasized that this move aims to reduce the ongoing burden on the residents of Fukushima.