Ministry of Environment of Japan started construction of two interim facilities near Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant to store radioactive soil collected in the process of decontamination works for up to 30 years. The work in Futaba Town has been contracted to a group of Maeda Corp., Nishimatsu Construction Co. and local-based Tanaka Kensetsu Co., while the facility in Okuma Town will be developed by Shimizu Corp. and Kumagaigumi Co.

The Futaba site is located 200 meter north of the plant and the Okuma site is about 1.5km away in the south. The both facilities are within the restricted area because of high radiation. The contractors will undertake earth work of 30,000m2 stock yard in each site by the end of April. The yards will each accommodate 10,000m3 contaminated soil, when completed.

Though many of the workers have experienced decontamination works after the accident of the Fukushima plant in 2011, even greater care is necessary in the condition of higher radiation than in the earlier decontamination works, said an official of Shimizu. (2015/02/04)