'High-degree volume reduction' based on fine pulverization technique applicable to high-concentration radioactive cesium-contaminated soil

Due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in March 2011, radioactive materials were released into the environment, contaminating the soil and water in the surrounding areas centering on Fukushima Prefecture. Among contaminated soils, the part with a high radiation dose was removed, stored on-site, and then transported to an interim storage facility. It is planned that the soil brought in will be finally disposed of outside Fukushima Prefecture within the next 30 years. Since the disposal volume is enormous, volume reduction is sought. Since a large amount of radioactive cesium is adsorbed on fine clay in the soil, it is possible to reduce the disposal volume by removing the soil with large particles other than clay. With the aim of further volume reduction, the authors considered that it would be possible to remove the adsorbed radioactive cesium by pulverizing the clay inside the soil to be disposed of, conducted a study using the soil on-site, and reported the results. This study was carried out in the name 'High-grade volume reduction based on fine pulverization technique applicable to high-concentration radioactive cesium-contaminated soil,' as a publicly offered research of the Nuclear Safety Technology Research Institute of Chubu Electric Power Co. (A.O.)