ABSTRACT
Just weeks following the March 11, 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor accident, it was clear that there would be serious long-term environmental consequences. While the extent of Cs-137 contamination at Fukushima and the surrounding areas continues to be characterized, initial data indicated very high levels in some areas. As characterization surveys continue to rene the soil contamination prole surrounding Fukushima, it is apparent that large areas of land are signicantly contaminated (perhaps as much as 500 square miles), and potentially uninhabitable. Japanese regulatory authorities must establish an adequately protective dose level following the optimization process. A useful document in this regard is ICRP Publication 111 (2009), Application of the Commission’s Recommendations to the Protection of People Living in Long-term Contaminated Areas After a Nuclear Accident or a Radiation Emergency. e fundamental decision is whether to allow people to live permanently in long-term contaminated areas, and at what release criteria. Initial projections are that the Fukushima cleanup will take 40 years to complete, and the decommissioning costs will be enormous.
