42 incinerators in 7 prefectures of Japan test positive for radioactivity in ash and dust above regulatory limits

The Mainichi Daily News has reported that 42 incineration facilities in the prefectures of Tokyo, Chiba, Iwate and three other prefectures as well as Fukushima have radioactive dust and ash that violates federal regulations for disposal in ordinary landfills, the Japanese Environment Ministry announced on Saturday. The federal standard for disposal of radioactive ash and dust requires that it contain less than 8,000 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram. Yet, readings of 95,300 becquerels/kg have been detected in Fukushima; 70,800 becquerels/kg in Chiba; 30,000 becquerels/kg in Iwate; and 9,740 becquerels/kilogram was found in dust at an incineration plant in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward in June. A becquerel is defined as one radioactive disintegration per second. Thus, 8,000 radioactive distintegrations per second in just one kg (2.2 pounds) of dust or ash is a significant amount of hazardous radioactivity.