Evaluation and verification of social acceptability for radionuclide-contaminated soils treated by the soil washing and wet classification method

During the more than 9 years since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident, the air dose rate has steadily decreased due to the proceeded decontamination work and the radioactive decay of some radionuclides with short half-lives. However, it is not decided to discharge the removed soil stored in the Interim Storage Facilities in Fukushima to a final disposal site and a recycling site because it has not fostered social acceptance. Under the circumstance, the Fukushima Prefectural Government (FPG) carried out the pilot disposal project based on our previous study in the outside decontamination area. In this project, the radionuclide-contaminated soil (except generated from the decontamination work) was treated applying the Soil Washing and Wet Classification method to decrease the amount of temporary storage soil in the residential area outside decontamination area. Then, FPG showed that volume reduction of the radionuclide-contaminated soil is possible. However, various discussions arose regarding the handling of the radionuclide-contaminated soil in the residential area regardless of its concentration. From the verification of the pilot project and the analysis of the social environment, this study clarified the issue of social acceptability toward the realization of final disposal of the radionuclide-contaminated soils treated by the Soil Washing and Wet Classification method. (author)