Cesium found in sludge

[FBaggins]

Relatively high levels of radioactive cesium have been detected in the sludge from a waste water treatment plant in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. The prefectural government is tracking some of the sludge that has been shipped out of the prefecture to be used in making cement. The prefecture's investigation found that the sludge contained 26,400 becquerels of radioactive cesium per kilogram.

The solidified slag made from it contained 334,000 becquerels per kilogram, which is 1,300 times the level before the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The prefecture says rain likely washed radioactive substances from the surface of the ground into the sewer, and they became concentrated through processing.

The sludge from the facility is transported out of the prefecture and used to produce cement. The prefectural government will suspend the recycling and track the sludge that has been shipped since the accident to determine how it has been used.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/01_25.html