Japan could reuse soil from the Fukushima area at government offices

According to Kyodo News, which cites an undisclosed government source, Japanese authorities are considering reusing soil removed from areas near the Fukushima nuclear plant at government offices in Tokyo, including that of the Prime Minister. The initiative aims to set an example for recycling irradiated soil outside Fukushima Prefecture after demonstration projects in Tokyo and nearby areas were halted due to local opposition. The recycled soil would be mainly used for flowerbeds and landscaping at central government buildings. The Environment Ministry has repeatedly assured that the process is safe, citing demonstration projects launched in Fukushima Prefecture in 2017. Since the nuclear disaster in 2011, nearly 14 million cubic meters of excavated soil and other contaminated waste have been stored at an interim facility near the Fukushima plant. To reduce such an amount of debris, the Japanese government plans to recycle soil with relatively low levels of radioactivity for public works projects.