Friday, May 27, 2011

Japan now seeks to protect children from new nuclear leak

.- Japan disbursed to the schools close to the nuclear power plant in Fukushima was devastated by the earthquake to remove radioactive soil surface and set a lower limit of exposure for children of school age, after increased fears about the health risks. The Ministry of Education received many criticisms and complaints in April, when it established a limit of radiation exposure for children of 20 mSv per year, the same dose as the International Commission on Radiation Protection recommended for radiation workers.

The decision went on to become a focus of anger against Prime Minister Naoto Kan, for the handling of the crisis and the forced evacuation of tens of thousands of residents. The Minister of Education, Yoshiaki Takaki, paid to local schools to remove the soil surface in areas that exceed the radiation limits ruled.

Would also set a goal of radiation exposure for children in schools equivalent to one twentieth of the previous limit. "We will provide financial support to schools for actions aimed at dealing with the soil on school grounds, as a way to reduce radiation levels for children," Takaki said at a news conference.

The devastating earthquake on March 11 and subsequent tsunami killed about 24,000 people and reported in the Fukushima plant world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986. The crisis led to more than 80 000 residents near the plant should abandon their homes and prompted a review of Japanese energy policy, "starting from scratch" with the nuclear policy.

On Thursday, Greenpeace noted the "continuing inadequate response" of the country and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power, said that another 36 tons of radioactive water had leaked from a waste storage building that served as a temporary storage site. The approach of the rainy season in Japan increases the risk of radiation entering the soil, which will require tighter control, said a spokesman for Tokyo Electric, Junichin Matsumoto.

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