IAEA Director-General Affirms Safety at Fukushima Interim Soil Storage Site

During a visit to Fukushima Prefecture's interim storage site for contaminated soil, the IAEA Director-General, Rafael Grossi, assessed the facility and its surrounding area used for a recycling demonstration project. Grossi reported low radiation levels at the site, noting that the contaminated soil is effectively shielded by an overlay of normal soil. He underscored that the precautions and measures in place fully align with the IAEA’s rigorous safety standards.

Grossi also discussed the Japanese government's plan to dispose of the contaminated soil outside Fukushima Prefecture by 2045. He indicated that while adjustments to this timeline remain possible, the primary responsibility of the IAEA is to ensure the overall safety of the process, emphasizing that decisions regarding scheduling and public communication are ultimately domestic matters.

In addition, Grossi addressed concerns over whether the current approach to recycling and final soil disposal might conflict with established radiation safety principles. He clarified that the method of transporting the contaminated soil is consistent with international safety regulations and that all further processing will be carried out in close collaboration with the Environment Ministry to maintain safety in all aspects.

Parallel to these efforts, extensive decontamination work has taken place around the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant site, involving the removal of topsoil to reduce radiation levels in affected areas. The resulting soil and waste—equivalent in volume to 11 Tokyo Domes—are now stored at a facility spanning Okuma and Futaba. The Japanese government's revised measures also aim to minimize the volume of material sent for final disposal by recycling it for use in public works projects, a strategy that has already been positively evaluated by the IAEA in its recent report.