Annals of the ICRP最新文献

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.This article analyses the communication experiences of radiation protection experts at federal/regional and local level. Efforts to justify protective measures were more successful at federal level, while the task of adjusting risk perception among local residents remains unresolved. At the recovery stage (15 years after the accident at Chernobyl nuclear power plant), the main difficulties were associated with the fact that expert knowledge was in conflict with public perception of the risk of low doses and legislative approaches. In these situations, communication success depends directly on an expert's personality. When large areas are affected, the efforts of a few dedicated experts are clearly not sufficient. More systematic approaches (training of doctors, teachers, etc.) require governmental support and experienced personnel. Federal authorities had changed their attitudes by the 15th anniversary of the accident. However, at regional level, this process stretched out for another 15 years. Public perception of large-scale health consequences still persists. Examples and survey results are presented in this article.

The importance of involving experts in the development of strategies for managing areas contaminated as a result of a nuclear accident is now well recognised. Following the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the initial focus, quite understandably, was on the technical aspects of reducing doses to the affected population. Subsequently, work carried out in the UK and elsewhere in Europe looked at the broader impacts of protective actions on agriculture, the environment, and society. From 1997, a group of experts from academia, government, and non-government organisations met regularly in the UK to debate these issues. One of the outputs included the first version of the UK Recovery Handbook for Radiation Incidents in 2005. Based on the success of the UK group, a European network of experts was established, leading to the development of European handbooks in 2009. The UK handbooks are living documents that are updated regularly with substantive input from experts.

It has been nearly 10 years since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. With the cooperation of those involved, the site, which was once in a crisis situation, has improved to the point where it is possible to look ahead and proceed with work on schedule. In the off-site area, conditions for returning home have been progressed, and evacuation orders for some areas have been lifted by the Japanese Government. This article describes, in respect of the various efforts being made on site at the moment, the current status of fuel removal from the spent fuel pools, preparations for fuel debris retrieval, improvement of the working environment, and future plans. Removal of fuel from the spent fuel pool for Unit 4 was completed in December 2014, and work is continuing with Unit 3 in order to complete by March 2021. The decision was made to install a large cover in advance for Unit 1 in consideration of the risk of dust scattering, and to conduct fuel removal for Unit 2 from the south side without dismantling the existing upper section of the building. The target is for fuel removal from the pools, including Units 5 and 6, to be complete by 2031. Regarding fuel debris retrieval, progress in various investigations has made it possible to grasp the distribution of debris in the reactor containment vessels of Units 1-3 to a certain extent, and it was decided that the first retrieval will start with the most-investigated unit (Unit 2). A robot arm will be used for retrieval; initially, a trial retrieval will be started, and once the retrieval method has been verified and confirmed, the scale of retrieval will be expanded in stages using a device with the same mechanism. The working environment of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has also improved. By reducing the stirring up of radioactive materials due to facing (paving), etc., it became possible to reduce the degree of protective clothing needed, and the area in which people can work with simple clothing such as general work clothes now represents 96% of the entire site. Due to various reduction measures, the effective dose of workers is currently approximately 0.2-0.4 mSv month^-1 on average per person. The work environment will continue to be improved steadily in the future. Finally, I would like to briefly mention the direction of future decommissioning efforts. The decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and contaminated water management are being implemented based on the national Mid-and-Long-Term Roadmap. The latest edition (5th revision) sets out the milestones until 2031, and we are on target to achieve the goals set forth here and the goals set forth in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's risk map. To that end, the Mid-and-Long-Term Decommissioning Action Plan 2020, which shows the main work processes of the decommissioning, was announced. This will enable us to proceed with decommissioning work more systematically in the future while looking a

Since the International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning (IRID) was established as a technology research association in August 2013, it has been engaged in research and development (R&D) for decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which is currently an urgent issue, to strengthen the platform for decommissioning technology for the future. The work of IRID R&D is classified into three main pillars: removal of spent nuclear fuel from the pool; retrieval of fuel debris; and technological development for treatment and disposal of solid radioactive waste. This article describes an overview of R&D as of the first half of the fiscal year 2020, mainly focusing on investigation inside primary containment vessels and retrieval of fuel debris.

Following the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011, a series of health literacy training workshops for local health workers was developed and implemented. This study aimed to analyse who among the intended audience gained the greatest benefit from the training. Nine health workers attended a workshop consisting of classroom training and a follow-up feedback assessment of materials they created in the workshop. The materials were assessed by a total of 131 intended readers. Using Sakai's tool, those items asking readers to rate the accessibility of written information were used to compare the materials before and after revision. The total score for Sakai's measure showed a significant improvement, and the elderly and those without regular doctor visits were more likely to notice improvements after revision. Such health literacy training could serve as a model programme to prevent inequity in access to health information in the face of a regional health crisis.

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.This article describes the institutional structure established for decommissioning Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. To deal with the aftermath of the unprecedented nuclear accident in Fukushima, several responsible institutions such as Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) have worked together at the initiative of the Government of Japan. In this structure, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) implements the decommissioning due to its legal responsibility, while the essential direction and milestones are set by the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters of the Government of Japan. Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation, a government-affiliated organisation, oversees and facilitates the decommissioning by TEPCO, and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority regulates safety from an independent standpoint. The main basic elements essential for the success of this long-term project have been developed, such as the technical strategy, financial system, and organisational capability. Decommissioning is making progress.

Comparisons of the large nuclear accidents that occurred at the nuclear power plants in Chornobyl and Fukushima usually focus on the emission of radionuclides, the contamination area, doses to the public and liquidation workers, etc. However, little attention has been paid to various factors that affect decisions regarding the future development of these territories, such as the sociopolitical and economic situation in the countries during the accident and at the present time, the density and structure of the population, climate change, media coverage, and accessibility of information to the public. This article attempts to discuss the above factors, speculates about the paths for future development of both exclusion zones, and suggests the most promising areas for joint research in the future.

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.What is at stake? It was one of the most frequently asked questions in a series of fora with concerned parties on the rehabilitation of living conditions in the aftermath of the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. It was obvious that radioactive contamination was the source of the problem, and people were at a loss over how to cope with the situation. Various measures were taken under such circumstances, including detailed radiation monitoring, a decontamination programme to reduce the level of radiation in the living environment, and activities related to communication about radiation risk. Nevertheless, this question was asked repeatedly. Measures against radiation exposure were certainly necessary, but it is a reality that they were not enough to solve the difficulties experienced by people in the affected areas. This article presents the author's personal view of the underlying reasons for this, and discusses the way to facilitate recovery after a nuclear accident.

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.Kawamata Town in Date District, Fukushima Prefecture is located more than 30 km north-west of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, but on 22 April 2011, part of the Yamakiya District of Kawamata Town was designated as a planned evacuation area. The exposure of children was a concern in Kawamata Town. Based on the proposal of Kindai University, Kawamata Town Board of Education took the initiative to measure individual radiation doses with an integrated dosimeter (glass badge) for all kindergarten children, nursery school children, elementary school students, and junior high school students in the town. These measurements were continued for nearly 3 years from June 2011 until the end of March 2014. The total number of measurements was approximately 16,800 across 11-cycle measurement, with 3 months' accumulation taken as one-cycle measurement. Kindai University provided financial support for the glass badge measurement service, and cooperated in the analysis of measured values and the development of advice based on the results. The main body implementing the measurements was Kawamata Town Board of Education, and the data obtained belong to Kawamata Town. When measurements were starting to be taken, schools got involved in the collection and distribution of dosimeters after explanations were provided to principals and school nurses who were in charge of risk communication. Thanks to the efforts of the schools, the recovery rate exceeded 90%, increasing the reliability of the measurements. It was clear who needed the information - the children and their parents. Kawamata Town Board of Education summarised the cumulative dose results for each measurement and notified parents via personal reports. These were sent to parents with advice on measurement results prepared by Kindai University, and care was taken to ensure that people could understand the measured results. Further briefing sessions were held as appropriate. At the briefing sessions, at the request of Kawamata Town Board of Education, the faculty members of Kindai University explained the measurement results from a professional point of view, and a professor from the Faculty of Medicine provided individual health consultations. Kawamata Town took the lead in using specialists to gain peace of mind, and this was key to the project's success. The situation was managed by taking measurements by dosimetry, and asking experts to interpret the data and provide advice to help reassure the residents.