IAEA: Japan's plan to reuse decontaminated soil in Fukushima is safe

The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday that Japan's plan to reuse decontaminated soil following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster was consistent with international safety standards.

On the same day, the UN nuclear watchdog in Tokyo delivered its final expert report to Environment Minister Shintaro Ito. This could improve public understanding of the government's efforts to allay concerns.

The Japanese government wants to reduce the amount of soil containing radioactive material. Public construction projects across the country will use decontaminated soil with a relatively low concentration of radioactive substances.

An official of the International Atomic Energy Agency (left) hands over the final expert report on Japan's plan to reuse decontaminated soil following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident to Japanese Environment Minister Shintaro Ito in Tokyo on Sept. 10, 2024. (Kyodo)

Ito told the IAEA: “The government will continue its efforts, taking full account of the findings of the report, to promote more effective management, recycling and disposal of the excavated soil in the future.”

Around 14 million cubic metres of low-level radioactive waste from decontamination work in the northeastern prefecture have been temporarily stored near the power plant. Soil and waste deemed non-recyclable will be disposed of permanently.

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