New Regulations for Radiation Protection for Work Involving Radioactive Fallout Emitted by the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi APP Accident—Disposal of Contaminated Soil and Wastes

Abstract

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Atomic Power Plant that accompanied the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, released a large amount of radioactive material. To rehabilitate the contaminated areas, the government of Japan decided to carry out decontamination work and manage the waste resulting from decontamination. In the summer of 2013, the Ministry of the Environment planned to begin a full-scale process for waste disposal of contaminated soil and wastes removed as part of the decontamination work. The existing regulations were not developed to address such a large amount of contaminated wastes. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), therefore, had to amend the existing regulations for waste disposal workers. The amendment of the general regulation targeted the areas where the existing exposure situation overlaps the planned exposure situation. The MHLW established the demarcation lines between the two regulations to be applied in each situation. The amendment was also intended to establish provisions for the operation of waste disposal facilities that handle large amounts of contaminated materials. Deliberation concerning the regulation was conducted when the facilities were under design; hence, necessary adjustments should be made as needed during the operation of the facilities.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In acknowledgement of their dedicated deliberation in the expert meeting, the author would like to express sincere appreciation to K. Mori, N. Sugiura, T. Nagoya, Y. Matsumura, M. Osako, S. Monma, and S. Suzuki for sharing their expertise, without which the regulation could never have been amended.